Paediatria Croatica, Vol. 65 No. 3, 2021.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.13112/PC.2021.19
Unexpected inconsistency of cranial MRI and cranial US measurements: new normative values in the neonatal period
Gokcen Coban
Musa Silahli
Bilal Egemen Cifci
Abstract
Cranial ultrasonography (US) enables diff erentiation of normal from abnormal in a reasonable scanning time and without radiation. However, there is not enough data comparing measurements of cranial US and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for some
intracranial structures in the neonatal period. We aimed to assess the reliability of cranial US compared with brain MRI. We also
sought reference values of the pituitary gland and infundibulum, which is important in searching for growth retardation or abnormal growth in this population. Normative measurements of the width of the 4th, 3rd and lateral ventricles, length and width of the
corpus callosum (CC), biventricular width (BVW), and biparietal diameter (BPD) were prospectively obtained from 95 healthy fullterm neonates on both cranial US and brain MRI. Besides the well-known structures, the height of the pituitary gland, thickness of the
infundibulum, height and width of the cerebellum were measured on MRI. Comparison of cranial US and brain MRI showed good
correlation in the BPD, width of the splenium and genu of CC, anteroposterior length of CC, and width of the 3rd ventricle (κ=0.88-
0.99). Correlation was poor in BVW, width of the corpus of CC, and width of the lateral ventricles (κ=0.28-0.56). New normative values
of the height of pituitary gland and thickness of the stalk in the neonatal period are novel fi ndings of this prospective study. In conclusion, cranial US and MRI measurements were not consistent in some brain structures. It is crucial to know the normative values, and
to diff erentiate congenital and developmental brain anomalies in the neonatal period. The new reference values of the pituitary
gland and infundibulum were also established in this period.
Keywords
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING; INFANT, NEWBORN; PEDIATRICS; ULTRASONOGRAPHY
Hrčak ID:
275520
URI
Publication date:
24.9.2021.
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