3-D ultrasound quantification of neonatal cerebral ventricles in differenthead positions

We determined the influence of head position on lateral ventricular cerebra l volume in low-birthweight infants by three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasound ( US), Thirty-nine neonates were examined prospectively in a controlled and b linded study, We used a freehand 3-D US system to acquire data sets after h ead positioning for 3 h on left and right side in random order. The borders of the lateral ventricles were marked in stored cross-sections. Volumes we re calculated as mean of duplicate measurements. Median volume of lateral c erebral ventricles was 1.03 (quartiles 0.78-1.36) mt. Median left ventricul ar volume was slightly larger than right one (p = 0.13). Down-side lateral ventricles showed smaller volumes than up-side positioned ventricles (p < 0 .01), Freehand 3-D US allows quantification of small volumes as neonatal la teral cerebral ventricles. Head position influences the lateral cerebral ve ntricle volume in low-birth-weight infants. (C) 1999 World Federation for U ltrasound in Medicine & Biology.