Real-time ultrasonography in the neonate: a systematic study of a high-risk infants population.

During a 12-month period a prospective and systematic study was carried out by means of portable real-time ultrasound (US) scanner in order to detect cerebral lesions in a population of high-risk neonates. Newborn infants were allocated into two groups: group A: all premature infants (n = 83) of less than or equal to 34 weeks' gestation or less and group B: neonates (n = 36) of more than 34 weeks' gestation presenting with abnormal neurological signs. Group A: the overall incidence of periventricular haemorrhage (PVH) was 47% (15 grade I, 16 grade II, 3 grade III, 1 Plexus choroid haemorrhage, 1 isolated intraventricular haemorrhage). Infants of 30 weeks or less were at highest risk to develop a PVH. The degree of severity did not depend on gestational age. Repeated scans accurately timed the onset of PVH; 67% developed a PVH within the first 24 hours of life and 31% within the first 6 hours. A post-haemorrhagic ventricular dilatation was noted in 50% of the 28 infants who survived more than 28 days (4 transient, 7 arrested and 3 rapidly progressive). Group B: 15 of 36 infants had US abnormalities. Cerebral lesions were miscellaneous. Diagnosis of PVH, leukomalacia, agenesis of corpus callosum, calcifications in the basal ganglia, hydranencephaly were made and confirmed at autopsy in 9 fatal cases. US has proved useful for the detection of cerebral lesions among high-risk newborn infants in a Neonatal Unit.