MRI in acute hemiplegia of childhood

Objective: Acute hemiplegia in childhood is rare, the underlying etiology frequently obscured and the pathological site unidentified. Materials and Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging (1.5 T Magnetom) was performed in two cases with hemiplegia followed by repeated studies at 3 and 16 months, respectively, after the initial examinations, including CT and angiography, were negative. Results: MRI demonstrated otherwise occult lesions in the brain stem and showed the subsequent partial resolution consistent with infarction. Conclusion: MRI should be employed in those children with acute hemiplegia in whom no underlying cause is elicited