Neuroimaging in perinatal hypoxic-ischemic injury

Neuroimaging has considerable potential for assessing the severity of brain damage in neonates who have suffered hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. This article reviews the recent literature concerning the concepts of perinatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury as they relate to patterns of brain injury and thus to neuroimaging. In addition, the temporal changes of brain injury—as detected by transfontanel sonography, x-ray computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging—are discussed. The discussions of these modalities include new techniques such as Doppler sonography, quantitative sonographic feature analysis, diffusion magnetic resonance imaging, and perfusion magnetic resonance imaging. Finally and where applicable, the prognostic implications of the imaging findings are discussed. MRDD Research Reviews 3:28–41, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.