The contribution of colour Doppler flow imaging to the study of cerebral haemodynamics in the neonate.

We investigated the contribution of colour Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) to duplex-ultrasonography of the neonatal brain. In pre- and full-term infants, CDFI facilitated spectral analysis of blood flow velocity wave forms in most major intracranial arteries, enabling blood flow velocity measurements. Moreover CDFI depicted major deep and superficial veins, enabling venous blood flow velocity measurements. Smaller arteries could also be imaged in a substantial number of infants in regions with haemorrhagic or ischaemic lesions. The method may also offer the opportunity to assess regional cerebral blood flow in the neonatal brain, although further study is necessary to determine whether accurate, reproducible flow velocity measurements are possible in these vessels.