Neuroimaging in cerebral palsy

Parents and clinicians concerned about high-risk infants and children with motor delay or cerebral palsy seek information on cause, treatment, prognosis, and recurrence risk. Used in combination with history and examination, neuroimaging studies can improve diagnosis and management. In premature infants, cranial ultrasound is a reliable, noninvasive diagnostic modality. Nuclear magnetic resonance techniques including magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion weighted imaging can be used effectively in neonatal encephalopathies. In children with motor delay and cerebral palsy syndromes including spastic diplegia, quadriplegia, hemiplegia, and extrapyramidal movement disorders, conventional magnetic resonance imaging has become an important determinant of diagnosis and management. The aim of this article is to help clinicians select and interpret imaging studies of benefit in clinical care.