AbstractNeonatal sonography of the brain is now an essential part of newborn care, particularly in high risk and unstable premature infants. Cranial ultrasound is the most available and easily repeatable imaging technique for the neonatal brain showing brain development and the most frequently occurring forms of cerebral injury in the preterm and
terms. This study aims to assess the importance of cranial ultrasound as an investigatory modality for high-risk neonates and to find out the morphology of various cerebral lesions and correlate clinically.
Materials and Methods: This was a Descriptive Longitudinal Prospective study conducted in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Paediatric Department of Dvvpf Medical College and Hospital, which is a tertiary care hospital forsurrounding districts, during the period of two years. In our period 155 neonates having perinatal asphyxia was
studied to evaluate the usefulness of Neurosonogram in diagnosis of various lesions in symptomatic neonates with
history of birth asphyxia.
Results: In our study 70 (45.1%) neonates had abnormal NSG findings of total of 155 neonates. In our study abnormal NSG among preterm neonates was maximum with weight in 1-1.5kg (88.5%). In our study abnormal NSG among term neonates was maximum in neonates with weight in 2-3kg (72%) range [2- 2.5kg (25%) and 2.5- 3kg (47%) range]. Among 70 abnormal NSG, 25 had mydriasis, 38 had normal anterior fontanelle,58 had negative transillumination test. Abnormal NSG finding were found when done after 72 hours.
Conclusion: This study shows that Neurosonography is a sensitive, easy, simple, non-invasive, value-effective, initial choice of investigation for detection of abnormal changes in brain among neonates. High efficacy of NSG in detecting presence of brain damage and evolution of brain lesions on regular follow up guides clinical decisions and prognosis of the neonate.
Keywords: Neurosonography; Asphyxia; Seizures; Anterior fontanelle; Newborn; Cranial sonography.