Cranial Ultrasound: Applications
摘要
Cranial Ultrasound (CUS) is an essential and beneficial tool in the diagnosis of various pathologies. It offers several benefits, being affordable, portable, safe (no anesthesia required, no ionizing radiation), can be easily performed, and repeatable as often as needed. CUS is the initial diagnostic as well as screening modality in neonates. In addition to the anterior fontanelle, several other windows aid in the visualization of the brain parenchyma, and, therefore, aid in the identification of a variety of abnormalities. Doppler sonography is becoming a standard component of CUS and helps detect sinus thrombosis and arterial patency [1]. CUS is the preferred imaging modality in several conditions such as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), germinal matrix hemorrhage, hydrocephalus, and congenital abnormality [2]. Various limitations include subjectivity, dependence on the radiologists’ expertise in the field, and narrow fontanelles with insufficient windows in older infants.