PVL is a type of brain injury. PVL actually represent small holes� in the brain due to the death of small areas of brain tissue around the normal fluid-filled cavities of the brain (known as ventricles�, hence the term periventricular�). The tissue in this area appears white on examination (thus it is often referred to as white matter�), in contrast to the gray� appearance of much the rest of the brain.

PVL is frequently associated with the development of neurological and developmental problems in growing babies, usually during the first to second year of life.

PVL is much more common in preterm infants than in term newborns. A major cause is thought to be poor blood flow to the area around the ventricles of the brain, which is fragile and prone to injury. Infection around the time of delivery may also play a role in causing PVL. The more premature your baby is, and the sicker your baby is, the higher the risk for PVL.

If your baby is considered at risk, an ultrasound study of your infant�s brain is the most common test used to screen for PVL. However, PVL can be missed on head ultrasound. An MRI scan is the most sensitive radiology test or the diagnosis of PVL. However, the presence or absence of abnormal findings on either a head ultrasound or MRI does not always predict that your baby will or won�t have neurodevelopmental problems.

There is no treatment for PVL aside from keeping your baby as stable as possible, including maintaining heart, lung, intestine, and kidney function as normal as possible.

If your baby is diagnosed with PVL he or she is at risk for significant neurological problems, especially those that involve the motor system (sitting, crawling, walking, moving the arms). Your baby may require physical therapy and infant intervention programs. If your baby is diagnosed with PVL, he or she should have follow-up with a developmental pediatrician and/or a pediatric neurologist, in addition to their normal pediatrician.