Correlation between computed tomography and autopsy in premature and full-term neonates that have suffered perinatal asphyxia.

The findings at autopsy were correlated with the computed tomographic (CT) diagnosis in 90 neonates that had suffered perinatal hypoxia and had CT within 10 days before autopsy. CT was accurate in the diagnosis of supratentorial hemorrhage whether it was subependymal, intraventricular, or intracerebral. Infratentorial hemorrhage was difficult to detect or localize with accuracy. Correlation between areas of hypodense brain tissue seen on CT and areas of ischemic brain damage other than hemorrhage at autopsy was poor. Diagnosis of generalized cerebral edema by CT, however, was very good.