Ultrasonography and computed tomography in midline cerebral malformations.

Ultrasonography (US) has become an important method for the investigation of neonatal cerebral disorders. Its role in the diagnosis of cerebral malformations has been well illustrated in the recent literature. This report presents 16 children with midline malformations (of 78 neonates and children with cerebral abnormality diagnosed with US) who were also examined with computed tomography (CT). Among the 16 children there were 2 with lipoma of the corpus callosum, 1 neonate with aneurysm of the vein of Galen, 2 with agenesis of the corpus callosum, 1 newborn with a large cyst in the quadrigeminal plate cistern, 3 with a Dandy-Walker malformation, 5 with a posterior fossa cyst, and 2 with a Chiari II malformation. The diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography in midline malformations and the role of computed tomography for further investigation is emphasized. CT was necessary after US mostly in hyperechogenic lesions such as lipomas and partly thrombosed aneurysms of the vein of Galen, while in the anechogenic cystic lesions US alone was satisfactory.