The fontogram: a noninvasive intracranial pressure monitor.

The applanation transducer was used to measure intracranial pressure (ICP) through the intact fontanel. The method is painless, rapid, and accurate. The pressures recorded with this fontogram were correlated with direct measurements of ICP. The correlation coefficient of the 21 paired determinations was .98--a very good correlation. Fontanel pressure was determined in 35 normal newborn infants. The mean pressure was 7.37 mm Hg with an SD of +/- 1.45 (range, 3.5 to 9.5 mm Hg). Three clinical cases are presented to illustrate the usefulness of this apparatus in the detection of increased ICP and in monitoring the effectiveness of treatment.