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Pediatric neurodegenerative white matter processes: leukodystrophies and beyond

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Abstract

Pediatric neurodegenerative white matter processes are complex, numerous and result from a vast array of causes ranging from white matter injury or inflammation to congenital metabolic disorders. When faced with a neurodegenerative white matter process on neuroimaging, the first step for the radiologist is to determine whether the findings represent a congenital metabolic leukodystrophy or one of various other white matter processes. In this review we first describe a general approach to neurodegenerative white matter disorders. We will briefly describe a few white matter diseases that mimic metabolic leukodystrophies. In the second half of the review we discuss an approach to distinguishing and classifying white matter leukodystrophies.

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Acknowledgement

This review is based on an electronic exhibit that won a Certificate of Merit at the Society for Pediatric Radiology meeting in Miami, FL, April 2007.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 1750 Independence Ave., Kansas City, MO, 64106, USA

    Jonathan A. Phelan

  2. Department of Radiology, The Children’s Mercy Hospital and Clinics, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA

    Lisa H. Lowe

  3. Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA

    Charles M. Glasier

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  1. Jonathan A. Phelan
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  2. Lisa H. Lowe
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  3. Charles M. Glasier
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Correspondence to Jonathan A. Phelan.

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Phelan, J.A., Lowe, L.H. & Glasier, C.M. Pediatric neurodegenerative white matter processes: leukodystrophies and beyond. Pediatr Radiol 38, 729–749 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-008-0817-x

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