[A study of the evolution of ventricular dilatations using transfontanellar ultrasonography].
BACKGROUND
Ventricular dilatations, especially hydrocephalus in the newborn infants, are neurological complications and sequelae dreaded by the clinician because of their effects on the neurological integrity of the future individual.


OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to describe the evolution of ventricular dilatations during the first years of life, as well as how to carry out a prospective estimate of the changes in the ventricular measurements for this disease.


METHODS
The ventricular systems of infants born with ventricular dilatations of any intensity between September 1992 and December 2002 at the Hospital Materno Infantil 10 de Octubre were measured using transfontanellar ultrasonography, and we established a type of follow-up according to the dilatation and the clinical progression and psychomotor development. All measurements were processed and submitted to a descriptive statistical analysis and to mathematical analysis for the case of the behaviour of each cut.


RESULTS
85.49% of the ventricular dilatations progressed toward remission or did not change after diagnosis. It was not possible to estimate values for the classification of the ventriculomegalies because the normal values for these structures in neonatal brain morphometry are not standardised. Brain symmetry does not exist in this disease and none of the cuts of the procedure can behave as prescriptors by themselves.


CONCLUSIONS
Ultrasonic encephalography plays a valuable role in the diagnosis and follow-up of ventriculomegalies, which progress towards remission in 60% of cases provided that diagnosis is early and suitable medical attention is provided.
Bazán-Camacho
A J
AJ
Departamento de Ultrasonido Diagnóstico, Servicio de Neonatología, Hospital Materno Infantil 10 de Octubre Hijas de Galicia, Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba. abcbros@infomed.sld.cu
García-Almeida
E
E
Jiménez-Valdés
M L
ML
D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004453:Echoencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology