Neuroimaging patterns of brain injury in children following near-drowning

Our study suggests that children who suffer near-drowning are likely to have gray matter injury on MRI obtained within the first 7 days after injury. In contrast, delayed white matter lesions, may develop weeks after the initial hypoxic-ischemic event and may be observed in chronic imaging either alone or in combination with gray matter lesions. These imaging patterns appear to resemble those described in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic injuries, although further studies are needed to confirm these associations.