Aim

To systematically explore the relationship between type and severity of brain lesion on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and visual function in a large cohort of children with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL).

Methods

94 children with bilateral cerebral palsy (CP) and history of PVL were recruited at Stella Maris Scientific Institute in Pisa (Italy). We included data of participants (72) with at least one MRI after the age of three years and an evaluation of visual function including fixation, following, saccades, nystagmus, acuity, visual field, stereopsis and color perception.

Brain lesions location and extent were assessed by a semi-quantitative MRI-scale for children with CP.

Results

Brain lesion severity strongly correlated with visual function total score (global MRI score p = .000; hemispheric score p = .001 and subcortical score p = .000). Moreover, visual acuity, visual field, stereopsis and colour were compromised when a cortical damage was present, while ocular motricity (and in particular fixation and saccades) were compromised in presence of subcortical brain damage.

Interpretation

Structural MRI is valuable for understanding the relationship between brain lesion severity and visual function in children with CP.

中文翻译：

---

脑室周围白细胞软化所致脑瘫患儿的结构性脑损伤和视觉障碍

目标

为了系统地探讨磁共振成像（MRI）在脑室周围白细胞软化（PVL）患儿的脑病变类型和严重程度与视觉功能之间的关系。

方法

在意大利比萨的斯特拉马里斯科学研究所招募了94名患有双侧脑瘫（CP）和PVL史的儿童。我们纳入了三岁后至少进行过一次MRI的参与者（72）的数据，并对视觉功能进行了评估，包括注视，跟随，扫视，眼球震颤，敏锐度，视野，立体视和颜色感知。

脑瘫患儿的脑病变部位和程度通过半定量MRI量表评估。

结果

脑部病变的严重程度与视觉功能总分密切相关（总体MRI得分p = .000；半球得分p = .001和皮层下得分p = .000）。此外，当存在皮层损害时，视力，视野，立体视和颜色都会受到损害，而在皮层下脑部损害的存在下眼部功能（尤其是固定和扫视）会受到损害。

解释

结构性MRI对于了解CP患儿脑部病变严重程度与视觉功能之间的关系非常有价值。