Hemorrhagic periventricular leukomalacia in the neonate: a real-time ultrasound study.

Periventricular leukomalacia is an important complication of hypoperfusion of the brain in immature newborn infants. In a real-time ultrasound study with frequent scanning of 120 infants of birth weight less than 1,501 g, hemorrhagic periventricular leukomalacia was observed in nine (7.5%), and in five of these infants subsequent development of cystic degeneration was noted. The overall incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage in the same population was 48%.