Ultrasound of the brain of a newborn (neurosonography) is a study that allows using ultrasound to see the brain of a child in order to identify defects, diseases or changes in the structure of the brain and brain tissues.
Ultrasound of the brain is a fairly safe method. The child does not receive any radiation, therefore, neurosonography can be performed as many times as necessary, depending on the appointment of the doctor. Ultrasound of the baby’s brain is an absolutely painless research method that allows you to conduct it even when the baby is sleeping. No additional drugs are required for neurosonography. The procedure takes no more than 15 minutes, which is very convenient in the case of babies.
Some doctors recommend an ultrasound of the brain of the newborn to all children in order to prevent and early detection of pathological changes in the brain. This is due to the fact that some symptoms of brain damage appear after a year, and you can notice something was wrong in the infant period only with the help of ultrasound.
Ultrasound examination is a great advantage for children up to a year. Before the opportunity appeared to carry out an ultrasound of the brain of a newborn, doctors used a method such as computed tomography. This study is carried out under general anesthesia, as the slightest movement can interfere with the detection of pathology. In addition, computed tomography involves the use of x-rays, which is undesirable for the child. The advent of neurosonography completely eliminated the risk of exposure and the effects of narcotic substances on the child's body.
Ultrasound of the brain of the newborn is mandatory for premature babies and very large newborns, with suspected intrauterine infection, children with an irregular shape of the head, as well as severe newborns who need resuscitation care. This study has been shown in cases of oxygen starvation of the brain, with severe and prolonged labor, with abnormalities of other organs, as well as with neurological disorders (convulsions, respiratory failure).
An ultrasound of the head is carried out through the large fontanel of the newborn, sometimes through the lateral fontanels. The fontanel is a site in the parietal region of the head that is not covered by bone. The fontanel transmits ultrasonic waves well and makes it possible to study the structure of the brain. After a year, the large fontanel closes, and it is not possible to do an ultrasound .
Neurosonography is used to detect cerebral hemorrhages, brain malformations , hydrocephalus, damage to brain tissue due to hypoxia. Ultrasound of the brain reveals cysts and tumors, dropsy, inflammation and cerebral ischemia.
Before the procedure, the skin over the large fontanel is smeared with a special sound-conducting gel for better penetration of ultrasonic waves into the tissues and structures of the brain.
Neurosonography is a study that is conducted specifically for newborns and infants. Ultrasound of the brain in adults is not performed due to the inability to penetrate ultrasound through bone tissue. Due to the presence of fontanelles on the child’s head, this study becomes possible for newborns and children up to a year old.
If it is necessary to conduct an ultrasound of the brain to a newborn or a child up to a year, it must be remembered that the study should be carried out by a highly qualified specialist, using modern equipment.
Ultrasound of the brain is a reliable and safe method to assess the state of structures and tissues of the brain. The use of this research method in infants is a great advantage over other methods of studying the brain in young children.