Hemorrhagic Periventricular Leukomalacia: Diagnosis by Real Time Ultrasound and Correlation with Autopsy Findings

Hemorrhage into areas of periventricular leukomalacia may occur and range in size from microscopic to massive. Hitherto, the definitive diagnosis has been made only at autopsy. A case is described in which the diagnosis of hemorrhagic periventricular leukomalacia was made antemortem by real-time ultrasound scanning and confirmed at autopsy. Periventricular/intraventricular hemorrhage, a more common hemorrhagic lesion, may extend into periventricular white matter in a location ventral and medial to hemorrhagic periventricular leukomalacia. Real-time ultrasound scanning is a safe and reliable means of defining the topography of these two hemorrhagic lesions and, thereby, of suggesting the correct diagnosis.