Cranial ultrasound in preterm infants ≤ 32 weeks gestation-novel insights from the use of very high-frequency (18-5 MHz) transducers: a case series.
Case series
Cranial ultrasound
Infant
Preterm
Transfontanellar
Very high-frequency
Journal
European journal of pediatrics
ISSN: 1432-1076
Titre abrégé: Eur J Pediatr
Pays: Germany
ID NLM: 7603873
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
03 Jun 2024
03 Jun 2024
Historique:
received:
11
04
2024
accepted:
23
05
2024
revised:
18
05
2024
medline:
4
6
2024
pubmed:
4
6
2024
entrez:
3
6
2024
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
The quality of cranial ultrasound has improved over time, with advancing technology leading to higher resolution, faster image processing, digital display, and back-up. However, some brain lesions may remain difficult to characterize: since higher frequencies result in greater spatial resolution, the use of additional transducers may overcome some of these limitations. The very high-frequency transducers (18-5 MHz) are currently employed for small parts and lung ultrasound. Here we report the first case series comparing the very high-frequency probes (18-5 MHz) with standard micro-convex probes (8-5 MHz) for cranial ultrasound in preterm infants. In this case series, we compared cranial ultrasound images obtained with a micro-convex transducer (8-5 MHz) and those obtained with a very high-frequency (18-5 MHz) linear array transducer in 13 preterm infants ≤ 32 weeks gestation (9 with cerebral abnormalities and 4 with normal findings). Ultrasound examinations using the very high-frequency linear transducer and the standard medium-frequency micro-convex transducer were performed simultaneously. We also compared ultrasound findings with brain MRI images obtained at term corrected age. Ultrasound images obtained with the very high-frequency (18-5 MHz) transducer showed high quality and accuracy. Notably, despite their higher frequency and expected limited penetration capacity, brain size is small enough in preterm infants, so that brain structures are close to the transducer, allowing for complete evaluation. Conclusion: We propose the routine use of very high-frequency linear probes as a complementary scanning modality for cranial ultrasound in preterm infants ≤ 32 weeks gestation. What is Known: • Brain lesions in preterm infants may remain insufficiently defined through conventional cranial ultrasound scan. • Higher frequency probes offer better spatial resolution but have a narrower filed of exploration and limited penetration capacity. What is New: • Very high-frequency probes were compared with standard medium-frequency probes for cranial ultrasound in infants ≤ 32 weeks' gestation. • Thanks to the smaller skull size of preterm infants, the new very high-frequency transducers allowed a complete and accurate evaluation.
Identifiants
pubmed: 38831135
doi: 10.1007/s00431-024-05627-y
pii: 10.1007/s00431-024-05627-y
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Informations de copyright
© 2024. The Author(s).
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