Evaluation of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy by ultrasound measurement of the hemodynamics in the central branches of the middle cerebral artery / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the hemodynamic changes in the central branches of the middle cerebral artery in different stages of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and provide new evidence for clinical diagnosis of HIE.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From March, 2013 to July, 2013, a total of 136 newborn infants were diagnosed to have HIE in our center. We performed two-dimensional ultrasonography and color Doppler ultrasound for assessments of systolic velocity (Vs) and resistant index (RI) of the central branches of the middle cerebral artery. The data were compared with the results of a control group consisting of 251 normal full-term infants.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Infants with mild HIE showed hyperechoic changes in the white matter around the ventricle, while in moderate and severe HIE, such hyperechoic changes were diffuse in both hemispheres with unclear echoes of the brain structures. Pulse Doppler assessments of hemodynamics of the central branches of the middle cerebral artery demonstrated a significant decrease in Vs and an increase in RI regardless of HIE severity (P<0.05). In addition, Vs and RI values in mild HIE infants differed significantly (P<0.05) from those in infants with moderate and severe HIE, who had comparable Vs and RI values (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Transcranial ultrasonography may provide dynamic information on cerebral blood flow in neonates and hemodynamic parameters of the central branches of the middle cerebral artery are valuable for clinical diagnosis and early intervention of HIE.</p>

Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosis of neonatal agenesis of the corpus callosum: a comparative study / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To summarize the ultrasonography features of neonate corpus callosum agenesis for better diagnosis of this condition.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 8563 neonates were screened by cerebral ultrasound in neonate care unit of our hospital from June 2010 to December 2012, and 37 cases of agenesis of the corpus callosum were identified. The diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for this condition was evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of ultrasound diagnosis for complete and incomplete absence of neonate corpus callosum were 100% and 90%, 90.9% and 94.1%, 94.6% and 91.9% in the 37 cases, respectively. The Kappa value of ultrasonography and MRI were 0.890 and 0.837, with a consistent rate of 91%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ultrasonography and MRI show a high consistency in the diagnosis of neonatal agenesis of the corpus callosum.</p>