Brain, chronic ischemic encephalopathy [LMP84919]

LMP84919 Thumbnail
View the Zoomify Image
Image Details
Diagnostic Modality: 
Specimen Photograph
Disease Category: 
Cellular Responses to Stress and Toxic Insults: Adaptation, Injury, and Death
Diagnosis: 
Chronic ischemic encephalopathy (due to hypoxia)
Species: 
Human
Organ System: 
Central Nervous System
Gender: 
Female
Age: 
19 months
Diagnosis Code: 
ICD-10: P91.0
Slide Contributor Information
Kolin, D., Hazrati, L.

Keywords

ischemia, hypoxia, brain injury, pediatric

Clinical History

19 month-old female with perinatal asphyxia. As a result, she had global developmental delay, a seizure disorder, and recurrent pneumonias, from which she ultimately died. At autopsy, the brain weight was 220 g (normal for age is 1042 g).

Clinical Discussion

Brain injury due to severe oxygen deprivation can lead to pathologic changes throughout the brain. Coronal sections of the brain demonstrate a characteristic gross appearance of bilateral cysts involving both the white and gray matter, termed multicystic encephalopathy. In some cysts, gliovascular bands can be seen. These are characteristic of third trimester or perinatal injury, in contrast to the smooth cysts seen after anoxic injuries which occur earlier in gestation.