Neuroimaging in Children Born With Congenital Zika Syndrome: A Cohort Study

Abstract

Neuroimaging findings have been associated with adverse neurologic outcomes in children with congenital Zika virus infection. Our purpose is to describe the brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of children around 3 years of age, born with congenital Zika syndrome. This cohort study followed 62 children born with congenital Zika syndrome who had head computed tomography (CT) performed during the first months of life. All these children had clinical, neuroimaging, and serological confirmation of congenital Zika. Around 3 years of age, these children received a brain MRI. In 35 children, we could perform an MRI. All these children had severe impairment in neuromotor development. In general, the examinations showed the same alterations of the CT examinations: delayed myelination (82.8%), intracranial calcification (71.4%) although with decreased intensity and size as compared with previously CT examinations, ventriculomegaly (91.4%), cerebellar hypoplasia (68.5%), and cortical development abnormalities (85.8%). The serious brain alterations observed through head CT examinations in children born with congenital Zika syndrome continued to be detected through an MRI examination carried out at around 3 years of age. This indicates a poor prognosis for these children who had a severe neuromotor development delay.