Intracranial hemorrhage in premature infants: sonographic-pathologic correlation.

Spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage is the most common central nervous system abnormality in premature infants. In this report the cranial sonographic and pathologic findings of 25 autopsied premature infants are correlated. The presence and size of subependymal, intraventricular, and intraparenchymal hemorrhage were well documented by sonography. Cerebellar, choroid plexus, and cortical hemorrhage, though less frequent, were also recognized. There was good correlation as to the presence and degree of hydrocephalus. Prominent subarachnoid spaces on sonography correlated poorly with subarachnoid hemorrhage at autopsy and may be a normal variant in the premature infant. Anoxic brain damage was not diagnosed early by sonography unless associated with hemorrhage, but diffuse brain atrophy with hydrocephalus exvacuo was detected by sonography.