What are the symptoms of PVL?

The most common PVL symptoms appear by six to nine months of age and may include:

• Developmental delay (mental and physical).
• Difficulty with eye movements.
• Hearing loss and vision problems.
• Learning disabilities.
• Movement issues.
• Scoliosis.
• Seizures (epilepsy).
• Tight muscles, especially in their legs (spasticity).

Is periventricular leukomalacia cerebral palsy?

Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is a type of brain damage that affects white matter, and that can cause cerebral palsy.

What does leukomalacia mean?

Definition. Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is characterized by the death of the white matter of the brain due to softening of the brain tissue.

What does PVL look like on MRI?

In end-stage PVL, T2-weighted MRI shows abnormally high signal intensity in the bilateral peritrigonal regions and delayed myelination, which is most common in patients with a young gestational age. This appearance resembles normally unmyelinated areas of white matter.

Does periventricular leukomalacia get worse?

PVL is not a progressive condition so its symptoms do not gradually worsen as the child gets older. The damage to the white matter occurs during brain development and does not continue to expand after birth.

Can PVL be seen on ultrasound?

In a baby with PVL, the ultrasound shows cysts or hollow places in the brain tissue. Sometimes the condition can’t be seen with an ultrasound right away. So healthcare providers give babies at risk for PVL an ultrasound 4 to 8 weeks after birth.

Can PVL cause hydrocephalus?

This may lead to raised CSF pressure in the head (Hydrocephalus). Scarring can also occur to the parts of the brain around the ventricles. This is called Periventricular Leucomalacia (PVL). This is why PVL and Hydrocephalus often occur together in the same child.

Does PVL cause seizures?

Children with PVL may have seizures. A study in Israel of 541 patients showed that 18.7% of those experienced seizures. Seizures are more common in those born prematurely and with low birth weight. Infants with PVL often cannot maintain a steady gaze or co-ordinate eye movements.

What is mild periventricular leukomalacia?

Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is a type of brain injury most common in very premature babies. PVL is injury to the white matter around the fluid-filled ventricles of the brain. White matter transmits information between nerve cells, the spinal cord, and from one part of brain to the other.

What is Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL)?

Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is characterized by the death of the white matter of the brain due to softening of the brain tissue. It can affect fetuses or newborns; premature babies are at the greatest risk of the disorder.

What are the treatment options for periventricular leukomalacia?

Frequent developmental assessments are performed if periventricular leukomalacia is suspected. Treatment is typically focused on managing symptoms through massage therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and treatment for visual dysfunction. How is periventricular leukomalacia prevented?

How do you test for periventricular leukomalacia?

Cranial ultrasounds, MRIs, and CT scans can identify periventricular leukomalacia. Because early ultrasounds may not reveal periventricular leukomalacia — it can take four to eight weeks for the condition to become detectable — infants with known risk factors are often tested approximately 30 days after birth.