Criteria for the Neuroimaging Diagnosis of Periventricular Leukomalacia

I. Serial ultrasonography:

A. Cyst formation in periventricular area.

B. Periventricular ultrasonographic echodensity greater than choroid plexus echogenicity.

C. Findings of B prolonged over 3 weeks with irregularity of lateral ventricular walls and/or less uniform echodensity.

Findings of B or C indicate periventricular leukomalacia, whereas a finding of C indicates possible periventricular leukomalacia.

II. Computed tomography examination:

A. At 40 weeks, corrected postlast menstrual period, a low density of the periventricular area, and/or centrum semiovale with dilatation and irregularity of lateral ventricle wall suggests periventricular leukomalacia.

III. Magnetic resonance imaging:

B. After age 11 months, periventricular hypodensities (with dilatation and/or irregularity of lateral ventricular walls) on spin echo T2-weighted image and proton density image are consistent with the diagnosis of periventricular leukomalacia.

 

Hashimoto K, Hasegawa H, Kida Y, Takeuchi Y. Correlation between neuroimaging and neurologic outcome in periventricular leukomalacia: diagnostic criteria. Pediatr Int 2001;43:244.