Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 19, Issue 8 549-555, Copyright © 2000 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Three-dimensional ultrasonographic imaging of the neonatal brain in high-risk neonates: preliminary study
C. C. Salerno, D. H. Pretorius, S. W. Hilton, M. K. O'Boyle, A. D. Hull, G. M. James, M. Riccabona, F. Mannino, A. Craft and T. R. Nelson
Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, USA.
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.
