Ultrasound of the brain in children is a safe procedure. It is indicated for all newborns who require resuscitation, intensive care, premature babies with intrauterine hypoxia, intrauterine infection. Birth injury, the use of special obstetric benefits, large or excessively low fetal weight, neurological symptoms also belong to pathology, which requires a mandatory ultrasound examination. Currently, this method is used in almost all newborns in order to exclude changes that may occur after one year (after the closure of fontanelles).
Ultrasound of the brain is based on the use of ultrasonic waves, which are mechanical vibrations characterized by a high frequency. They are completely harmless and painless. Therefore, this diagnostic procedure has no age restrictions. It can be carried out several times a day. Another advantage is the short duration, which reaches five minutes, when assessing the state of blood flow, it can reach twenty minutes.
Ultrasound of the brain does not require special preparation. The only condition is the calm position of patients, which is especially important for children.
This procedure is performed subject to open fontanelles of the head. The study is conducted through the anterior fontanel. Dense bones do not pass ultrasonic waves that have a medium and high frequency, so it is impossible to conduct brain ultrasound in children older than one year and in adults.
The study can also use additional accesses through the anterolateral and posterolateral fontanel, the scales of the temporal bone, which has a low thickness, a large occipital foramen. They are used to study the structure of the posterior and central parts of the brain.
Diagnostic research allows you to recognize almost any changes in the structure of the organ, to identify specific neoplasms. Ultrasound of the brain does not allow to determine pathological diseases associated with genetic, biochemical, hormonal disorders. The main diseases that this method allows to identify: cysts that are located in the vascular plexuses, subependymally, in the arachnoid membrane, hydrocephalus, organ malformations, intracranial hemorrhages. In some cases, pathological conditions do not require treatment, but dynamic monitoring is necessary to exclude progression. Such diseases include cystic plexus cysts. These formations represent bubbles filled with fluid. This pathological condition does not have pronounced clinical symptoms, most often passes without a trace.
Subependymal cysts occur after hemorrhages in this organ, as well as with ischemia. Typically, formations disappear without a trace, but in some cases they can significantly increase, therefore it is important to conduct an ultrasound of the brain in infants for several months.
The most dangerous are subarachnoid cysts. They tend to spread throughout the arachnoid membrane of the brain and usually do not resolve. The appearance and growth of cysts is not accompanied by the appearance of characteristic clinical symptoms.
Using ultrasound, almost all brain defects are diagnosed. If such changes are detected, an in-depth study of the child's body is necessary, as well as careful monitoring by a neurologist.
However, the most dangerous pathological conditions are intracranial hemorrhage and hydrocephalus. They require immediate treatment and constant monitoring by a neurologist.