More on periventricular leucomalacia and outcome

Pierrat and colleagues from France and the Netherlands remind us that repeated cranial ultrasound scanning is necessary in order not to miss the important diagnosis of periventricular leukomalacia (page 152). The incidence of cystic PVL in their cohort of almost 3500 babies was very low at 2.8% (96 cases). This large study provides some interesting information on timing, because the first cranial ultrasound scan was performed on admission to the neonatal unit; seven babies already had cystic change apparent at that time. In most of the remainder, there was an echodensity apparent on the first scan which subsequently evolved into cysts. Cysts mostly developed within four weeks …