Alterations in Cerebral Blood Flow in Preterm Infants with Intraventricular Hemorrhage

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Abstract
133Xe inhalation hemispheric cerebral blood flow (HCBF) determinations at 1-2 days and 4-6 days postnatally and at 37 wk postconceptual age were correlated with computed tomography (CT) scan and autopsy findings in 15 preterm infants weighing < 1250 g at birth. Ten of these infants had germinal matrix hemorrhages (GMH) or intraventricular hemorrhages (IVH). Although HCBF obtained at 1-2 days showed no mean difference between the GMH/IVH group and the nonhemorrhage infants, hemispheric flow ratios showed significant discrepancies in the GMH/IVH group. In 4 of 5 patients in whom the hemorrhage appeared asymmetric on CT scan, the side of higher flow correlated with the hemorrhage. At 4-6 days HCBF showed a lower mean value in the GMH/IVH patients than in the nonhemorrhage patients and differences in the interhemispheric ratios in the GMH/IVH group persisted. There were no differences in the mean HCBF values or hemispheric ratios between the 2 groups of infants at 37 wk postconceptual age.