Cranial Ultrasound Examination (cranial + ultrasound_examination)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


COL4A1 mutation in two preterm siblings with antenatal onset of parenchymal hemorrhage,

ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 1 2009
Linda S. de Vries MD
Objective To report the presence of intracerebral hemorrhage and porencephaly, both present at birth, in two preterm infants with a mutation in the collagen 4 A1 gene. Methods Two preterm infants with antenatal intracerebral hemorrhage and established porencephaly, as well as their affected mother and grandfather, underwent neurological and ophthalmological examination and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. Mutation analysis of the COL4A1 gene was performed in the infants and in their mother. Results Both infants had a novel G1580R mutation in the COL4A1 gene, encoding procollagen type IV ,1. A history of mild antenatal trauma was present in the first but not in the second infant. Both preterm infants were asymptomatic at birth. The intracerebral hemorrhage and porencephaly were diagnosed with cranial ultrasound examination and were subsequently confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging. Leukoencephalopathy was present in the mother and in her father. Interpretation Mutation of the COL4A1 gene appears to be a risk factor of antenatal intracerebral hemorrhage followed by porencephaly in the preterm newborn. Ann Neurol 2009;65:12,18 [source]


Early prediction of neurological outcome by term neurological examination and cranial ultrasound in very preterm infants

ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 3 2009
P Amess
Abstract Aim: To assess the value of term neurological examination and cranial ultrasound in the early prediction of neurological outcome at 12 months corrected age in a cohort of very preterm infants. Methods: A cohort of 102 preterm infants born at <32 weeks gestation or with a birth weight of <1500 g were assessed using the Hammersmith Term Neurological Examination. They underwent cranial ultrasound examinations according to local guidelines. The Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination was performed at 12 months corrected age. Scores for the term examinations were compared with scores derived from healthy infants born at term and with scores from low-risk preterm infants at term equivalent age. Term neurological scores and cranial ultrasound findings were compared in the prediction of 12-month neurological outcome. Results: Seventy-eight (76.5%) preterm infants had suboptimal total neurological scores at term when compared to healthy infants born at term. However, most went on to have optimal neurological scores at 12 months corrected age. When our cohort was compared with low-risk preterm infants at term equivalent age only 14 (13.7%) scored outside the normal range. Neither system of scoring predicted neurological outcome at 12 months corrected age as reliably as cranial ultrasound (sensitivity 0.83, specificity 0.87). Conclusion: Neurological examination of preterm babies at term may be unreliable in the prediction of neurological outcome at 12 months corrected age. For early prediction of neurological outcome cranial ultrasound examination was found to be more reliable. [source]


Ultrasound diagnosis of brain atrophy is related to neurodevelopmental outcome in preterm infants

ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 12 2005
Sandra Horsch
Abstract Background: Intraventricular haemorrhage and periventricular leukomalacia are associated with poor outcome of very preterm infants, while the role of more subtle cerebral alterations, as detected by cranial ultrasound, is less clear. Aim: In this study, we related periventricular echodensities and signs of brain atrophy to neurodevelopmental outcome at 3 y of age. Patients and methods: All preterm infants born in 1997 in our institution with a gestational age <32 wk or birthweight <1500 g were subjected to repeated standardized cranial ultrasound examinations until discharge. Survivors were examined at 3 y of age employing the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II. Results: Eighty-seven infants were enrolled (birthweight 430,2500 g (median 1200 g), gestational age 24,34 wk (median 29 wk)). Periventricular echodensities were detected in 42 infants (48%); in 12 cases persisting <7 d, in 30 cases >7 d. At discharge, 18 infants (22%) had signs of brain atrophy. Neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed in 64 infants. Infants with signs of brain atrophy scored significantly lower on MDI (atrophy 91.8, no atrophy 101.9; p=0.02), PDI (atrophy 91.4, no atrophy 106.5; p=0.001) and Behaviour Rating Scale (atrophy 41.1, no atrophy 66.4; p=0.01) than infants without atrophy. Periventricular echodensities were not related to outcome. Conclusion: Our data show that infants with sonographic signs of brain atrophy at discharge achieve lower scores in neurodevelopmental testing at 3 y. [source]