title: Three-dimensional ultrasonographic imaging of the neonatal brain in high-risk neonates: preliminary study.
abstract: The aim of this investigation was to compare the utility of three-dimensional ultrasonography versus two-dimensional ultrasonography in imaging the neonatal brain. Thirty patients in the neonatal intensive care unit underwent two-dimensional and three-dimensional ultrasonography. The resultant two- and three-dimensional images recorded on film and three-dimensional volumes (reviewed on a workstation) were evaluated independently. Comparable numbers of normal and abnormal studies were diagnosed by each modality. Axial images were considered useful in approximately 50% of three-dimensional cases. Image quality, overall and in the far-field, was rated higher on two-dimensional images. Three-dimensional sonographic acquisition time in the neonatal intensive care unit (1.7 min+/-0.7 standard deviation) was significantly shorter than that for two-dimensional sonography (9.0+/-4.5 min). The total time for evaluation on the three-dimensional workstation (4.4+/-1.1 min) was significantly less than that for two-dimensional images on film (10.6+/-4.7 min). In conclusion, three-dimensional ultrasonography is a promising, diagnostically accurate, and efficient imaging tool for evaluation of the neonatal brain; however, visualization must improve before it can replace two-dimensional ultrasonography.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, USA.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Salerno
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Pretorius
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Hilton
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: O'Boyle
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Hull
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riccabona
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mannino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Craft
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000151:congenital* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000151:congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003560:Cysts / Q000151:congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004453:Echoencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity