Neurosonography in Newborns Damaged in Perinatal Period

Problemstellung: Estimation of neurosonography (transfontanellar sonography) signs, diagnostic importance of brain echostructure changes in relation with clinical changes in newborns with various kinds of perinatal pathology.

Methode: Siemens Sonoline Antares and Elegra, also Sonosite for investigation of neonates in various regions of Georgia were used. Study included 150 infants from 0 to 12 months. 20 patients had undergone MRI and EEG for the verification of diagnosis. Patients were divided into two groups: I group –90 high risk neonates from 0-to 1 month; and II group 60 infants with various types of central nervous system pathology.

Ergebnisse: The results of conducted investigation did not demonstrate any statistically valid difference among these groups. Several types of central nervous system (CNS) damage were divided: Congenital abnormalities-3 (2%), brain oedema-5 (3%), periventricle hemorrhage-12 (8%), intracranial haemorrhage-57 (38%), arachnoidal cyst-8 (6%), periventricle ischemia-53 (35%), leukomalacia-4 (3%), various types of hydrocephalia-25 (17%) cases. Patients from the first group received adequate treatment. The follow-up of these patients didn't demonstrate any harsh pathology of CNS, 69 (77%) of them were practically healthy. 28 (48%) patients from the II group in the follow-up had deep neurological damages: cerebral palsy, epilepsy, mental retardation, etc.

Schlussfolgerung: Neurosonography is a reliable method for early diagnosis, follow-up and management of brain damages in neonates. In some cases neurosonography findings predict clinical signs of the disease. The use of advanced ultrasound estimation of brain development or abnormalities is the best method of both identification and evaluation of infant CNS condition.