Brain imaging on development delay of children with cytomegalovirus infection

Background: A frequent sequel to cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is developmental delay (DD). Computed tomography (CT) scan can be performed for early diagnosis.

Objectives: To describe imaging findings in children with CMV infection and to assess their association with development delay

Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Dr. Soetomo Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia from January 2011 to June 2016 on data collected from 176 patients with CMV infection of whom 114 had developmental delay. Statistical analysis was performed using Cochran’s test.

Results: Out of 114 subjects included, CT scan imaging showed atrophy of hippocampus (AH) in 26 (22.8%), intracranial calcifications (ICC) in 20 (17.5%), hypoplasia of corpus callosum (HCC) in 17 (14.9%), ventriculomegaly in 12 (10.5%), cerebral atrophy (CA) in 10 (8.7%), schizencephaly in 8 (7.4%), subdural hygroma (SH) in 7 (6.1%), temporal cyst (TC) in 7 (6.1%), asymmetric bulbus oculi (ABO) in 5 (6.1%) and intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) in 2 (1.7%). According to Cochran’s test results (df=3; a=0.05), HCC (0.972), ICC (0.820) and CA (0.963) were significantly associated with global developmental delay in CMV infection.

Conclusions: In this study hypoplasia of corpus callosum, intracranial calcifications and cerebral atrophy were significantly associated with global developmental delay in children with CMV infection.

Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2022; 51(3): 358-363