Quantified Corticospinal Tract Diffusion Restriction Predicts Neonatal Stroke Outcome

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Abstract
Neonatal arterial ischemic stroke occurs in > or =1:4000 births. Many children experience motor deficits but acute predictors of outcome are lacking. Diffusion-weighted MRI changes in descending corticospinal tracts remote from arterial ischemic stroke may represent pre-Wallerian degeneration. We verify and quantify this signal and correlate it with motor outcome. Fourteen neonates with acute arterial ischemic stroke and > or =12 months follow-up with the Pediatric Stroke Outcome Measure were included. Quantitative measurements of descending corticospinal tracts diffusion-weighted MRI signal were developed using Image J software. Ipsilesional descending corticospinal tract diffusion-weighted MRI signal was abnormal in 10 neonates with decreased apparent diffusion coefficients (P or =0.9). Descending corticospinal tracts diffusion-weighted MRI signal is predictive of motor outcome from neonatal arterial ischemic stroke. This accurate, reliable, and simple tool will impact decision making in acute neonatal stroke.