Accuracy of imaging of the brains of newborn infants by linear-array real-time ultrasound.

Comparisons were made in 69 newborn infants of the appearance of the brain as visualised by linear-array real-time ultrasound, computerised tomography and at autopsy, in order to evaluate the accuracy of ultrasound for the detection of lesions in the brain. Ultrasound was found to give a good estimate of the presence and extent of haemorrhage into the germinal layer and ventricles, and also to be very useful for assessing the appearance of the ventricular system. Ultrasound diagnosed extradural haemorrhages but was unhelpful for identifying subarachnoid haemorrhages or lesions in the posterior fossa.