To investigate the incidence and characteristics of cerebellar injury in a cohort of very preterm infants by using the mastoid fontanelle (MF) and posterior fontanelle (PF) approach in addition to routine cranial ultrasonography (US) through the anterior fontanelle (AF), with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging as the reference standard. The institutional review board approved this prospective study and informed consent was obtained. A cohort of 77 preterm infants (< 32 weeks) was examined with serial cranial US throughout the neonatal period by using the AF, PF, and MF views. MR imaging was performed around term-equivalent age in 59 of 77 infants. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of routine cranial US and cranial US with additional views were calculated. At cranial US performed through the MF, seven (9%) of 77 infants were identified to have posterior fossa hemorrhage. In only two of seven infants, the lesions were seen on routine AF views. The PF approach did not increase the detection rate of posterior fossa hemorrhage. MR images confirmed cranial US findings in all cases. MR images showed punctate hemorrhage in the cerebellum in six infants with normal cranial US findings. Among the 59 infants examined with both cranial US and MR imaging, cerebellar injury was diagnosed in 11 (19%). Cerebellar injury is a frequent finding in very preterm infants. Cranial US through the MF can demonstrate injury missed by using the routine AF approach. Punctate hemorrhagic lesions may remain undetected even when the MF approach is used; the prognostic implications of these smaller lesions need further attention.

Objective: To evaluate the association between neuroimaging and outcome in infants with congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV), focusing on qualitative MRI and quantitative diffusion-weighted imaging of white matter abnormalities (WMAs). Methods: Multicentre retrospective cohort study of 160 infants with cCMV (103 symptomatic). A four-grade neuroimaging scoring system was applied to cranial ultrasonography and MRI acquired at ≤3 months. WMAs were categorised as multifocal or diffuse. Temporal-pole WMAs (TPWMAs) consisted of swollen or cystic appearance. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were obtained from frontal, parieto-occipital and temporal white matter regions. Available follow-up MRI at ≥6 months (N=14) was additionally reviewed. Neurodevelopmental assessment included motor function, cognition, behaviour, hearing, vision and epilepsy. Adverse outcome was defined as death or moderate/severe disability. Results: Neuroimaging scoring was associated with outcome (p<0.001, area under the curve 0.89±0.03). Isolated WMAs (IWMAs) were present in 61 infants, and WMAs associated with other lesions in 30. Although TPWMAs and diffuse pattern often coexisted in infants with IWMAs (p<0.001), only TPWMAs were associated with adverse outcomes (OR 7.8; 95% CI 1.4 to 42.8), including severe hearing loss in 20% and hearing loss combined with other moderate/severe disabilities in 15%. Increased ADC values were associated with higher neuroimaging scores, WMAs based on visual assessment and IWMAs with TPWMAs. ADC values were not associated with outcome in infants with IWMAs. Findings suggestive of progression of WMAs on follow-up MRI included gliosis and malacia. Conclusions: Categorisation of neuroimaging severity correlates with outcome in cCMV. In infants with IWMAs, TPWMAs provide a guide to prognosis.

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common cause of sepsis in infants. Premature infants hospitalized at a neonatal intensive care unit often have risk factors for infection. In this group, the risk of UTI is not clearly known, and guidelines for urine analysis are not unanimous. We aimed to identify the risk of UTI in premature infants with central lines, suspected of late-onset sepsis. We analyzed all 1402 infants admitted to our hospital between 2006 and 2014 with a gestational age less than 32 weeks. Six hundred sixty-two episodes of sepsis evaluations were found with an unknown source of infection based on clinical symptoms. In half of this group, urine analysis was performed identifying UTI in 11.3% (24/212). In 13 of these infants (54%) with a UTI, infection was due to Candida albicans. In at least four episodes, the diagnosis and treatment would have been delayed if urine analysis had not been performed.