Can Doppler sonography be used to diagnose neonatal cerebral infarction caused by portal vein thrombosis.

Neonatal cerebral infarction is a serious and disabling condition. It is extremely rare if it occurs in association with portal vein thrombosis. We are reporting 2 cases of neonatal cerebral infarction with this etiology. The unique mechanism of cerebral infarction will be discussed. We propose that in the absence of any identifiable cause for the cerebral infarction, portal vein thrombosis should be considered and a Doppler sonography for the portal system is worth carrying out to confirm the diagnosis.