Diffuse periventricular leukomalacia in preterm children: assessment of grey matter changes by MRI.

BACKGROUND: Preterm children may have cognitive deficits and behavioural disorders suggestive of grey matter (GM) injury. The prevalence is higher in preterm children with diffuse periventricular leukomalacia (dPVL). OBJECTIVE: Evaluate changes in the volume of 116 GM areas in preterm children with dPVL. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Eleven preterm children with dPVL, gestational age 32.8 ± 2.6 weeks, examined at corrected age 22.0 ± 18.2 months and 33 matched preterm controls with normal brain MRI were studied. Volumes of 116 individual GM areas, and white matter/cerebrospinal fluid (WM/CSF) ratio were calculated on T1-weighted high-resolution images after segmentation. RESULTS: Relative to controls, children with dPVL had decreased GM volume of the hippocampus, amygdala, and frontal lobes and temporal middle gyrus (P < 0.05); increased GM volume of the putamen, thalamus, globus pallidum, superior temporal gyrus and of the parietal and occipital lobes (P < 0.05) and lower WM volume/higher CSF volume (P < 0.05). WM/CSF ratios also differed (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Preterm children with dPVL have increased regional GM volume in some areas probably related with a process of brain plasticity-regeneration and reduced GM volume in areas associated with cognition and memory.

Case report. Tuberculous epididymo-orchitis: MRI findings.

A 70-year-old man presented with fever, left flank pain and scrotal enlargement. CT scan of the thorax and abdomen revealed findings compatible with pulmonary and kidney tuberculous involvement. Sonographic and MRI examination of the scrotum showed bilateral testicular enlargement and the presence of multiple nodules involving both the testis and the epididymis. Urine cultures obtained from a percutaneous left nephrostomy were positive for tuberculous bacilli, and the patient was placed on anti-tuberculous treatment.