Neuroimaging Findings in a Series of Children with Cerebral Palsy and Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection

Title:Neuroimaging Findings in a Series of Children with Cerebral Palsy and Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection

Volume: 14 Issue: 3

Author(s): Hayley Smithers-Sheedy, Camille Raynes-Greenow, Nadia Badawi, Susan M. Reid, Elaine Meehan, Catherine S. Gibson, Russell C. Dale and Cheryl A. Jones

Affiliation:

Keywords: Cerebral palsy, computerized tomography, congenital cytomegalovirus, disability, magnetic resonance imaging, neuroimaging.

Abstract: Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is a contributing cause of neurodevelopmental disabilities including cerebral palsy (CP). In this case series we reviewed the neuroimaging findings of children with CP and cCMV infection in the context of the children’s clinical profile. Participants: Children with CP and laboratory confirmed cCMV (n=12) reported to the Australian CP Register, born in South Australia and Victoria, 1993-2006, with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or computerized tomography (CT) report available. Clinical details and neuroimaging findings were tabulated and compared to published literature. Children in this series were mostly born at term (n=8), with symptoms or signs of cCMV (n=10) and had spastic quadriplegia (n=9), epilepsy (n=8), intellectual deficit (n=12), communication (n=10) and hearing impairments (n=9). All but one had abnormal neuroimaging findings reported on MRI or CT (n=11): most commonly brain malformations including disorders of neuronal migration (n=10), such as lissencephaly, pachygyria and polymicrogyria, and cerebellar hypoplasia (n=5). Other findings included ventricular dilatation (n=8), calcifications (n=7) and white matter abnormalities (n=6). This study suggests that brain malformations, calcifications, ventricular dilatation and cerebellar hypoplasia are common neuroimaging patterns in children with CP and cCMV infection. The presence of these findings should prompt investigations for congenital cytomegalovirus.

Cite this article as:

Smithers-Sheedy Hayley, Raynes-Greenow Camille, Badawi Nadia, Reid M. Susan, Meehan Elaine, Gibson S. Catherine, Dale C. Russell and Jones A. Cheryl, Neuroimaging Findings in a Series of Children with Cerebral Palsy and Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection, Infectious Disorders - Drug Targets 2014; 14 (3) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1871526515999150320154858