High-resolution neurosonographic examination of the lenticulostriate vessels in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

objectiveTo assess the feasibility of visualizing lenticulostriate vessels (LV) using a linear high-resolution ultrasound probe and characterize LV morphology to determine whether morphological alterations in LV are present in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) as compared to the unaffected infants.

methodsWe characterized LV by their echogenicity, width, length, tortuosity, and numbers of visualized stems/branches in neurosonographic examinations of 80 neonates. Our population included 45 unaffected (non-HIE) and 35 with clinical and/or imaging diagnosis of HIE. Of the neonates with clinical diagnosis of HIE, 16 had positive MRI findings for HIE (HIE+MRI) and 19 had negative MRI findings (HIE-MRI). Annotations were performed twice with shuffled data sets at a 1-month interval and intrarater reliability was assessed. Focused comparison was conducted between non-HIE, HIE+MRI and HIE-MRI neonates whose images were acquired with a high frequency linear transducer.

resultsStudies acquired with the two most frequently utilized transducers significantly differed in number of branches (

conclusionLV can be visualized in the absence of pathology using modern high-resolution neurosonography. Visualization of LV branches varies between HIE + MRI, HIE-MRI neonates and controls. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: High-resolution neurosonography is a feasible technique to assess LV morphology in healthy neonates and neonates with HIE.