Diagnosis of cerebral atrophy in infants by near-field cranial sonography
A. Q. Fischer and E. Aziz
Cranial sonography is the ideal imaging tool for use in infants. However,
it has not been used for the diagnosis of cerebral atrophy in infants as
the subarachnoid space has been a "blind spot" with ultrasound. We
evaluated cerebral atrophy by a unique application of cranial sonography
that we have termed the near-field method, and compared these results with
those of cranial computed tomography (CT). We examined 106 infants with the
near-field method of cranial sonography. Eleven patients fitted our
sonographic criteria for cerebral atrophy. Cranial CT was done in eight of
the 11 patients with sonographic findings of cerebral atrophy and was
consistent with the diagnoses of cerebral atrophy in all cases. Of these
eight patients, one had cerebral atrophy and subdural effusion seen by both
near-field sonography and cranial CT. Cranial CT was performed in eight of
the 95 patients with normal sonographic findings, and all results were
normal. All patients with cerebral atrophy determined by cranial CT were
found to have cerebral atrophy by near-field sonography. Likewise, all
patients without cerebral atrophy by cranial CT were not found to have
cerebral atrophy CA by near-field sonography. The near-field method of
cranial sonography therefore appears to have a sensitivity and specificity
of 100% with cranial CT as a referral method.
