Cerebrovascular disease in childhood.

Cerebrovascular disease was reviewed in 92 suspected or proved pediatric cases. In addition to the classical adult patterns of the disease, a separate group of patterns occurs in children and infants who suffer a severe transient episode of cerebral hypoxemia. The patterns in the newborn are periventricular increase, laminar cortical necrosis, watershed infarct, rapidly clearing infarct, and diffuse increase. Bilateral extensive patterns correlate well with an ensuing generalized neurological deficit, and localized patterns with a focal deficit. The mixed and diffuse patterns were found to be the most common.