title: Cerebral-blood-flow-velocity measurements in neonates: technique and interobserver reliability.
abstract: The interobserver reliability for absolute cerebral-blood-flow-velocity measurements by colour and duplex Doppler sonography was tested in 32 neonates with a mean birth weight of 1489 (SD 644) g, and a gestational age of 29.9 (SD 3.5) weeks. Using standardized technique, two observers recorded on videotape, the Doppler spectrum of the anterior cerebral artery, the intracranial internal carotid artery and the middle cerebral artery. Peak systolic flow, end diastolic flow, mean flow velocity, resistive index and pulsatility index were computed from 3 consecutive waveforms by each observer. The estimates of interobserver reliability using the intraclass correlation coefficient of the examiners varied from 0.95 to 1.00. Therefore, cerebral blood flow velocity can be reliably measured in premature infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Newborn and Developmental Paediatrics, Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohlsson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yap
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Shennan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Glanc
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D015588:Observer Variation; D014463:Ultrasonography