Neurosonography (brain ultrasound)

The brain ultrasound is a safe and painless examination, which allows assessing the condition of the child’s brain.

The examination can be performed only in the first year of life (sometimes two years), as the ultrasound is performed through the fontanels, transmitting the ultrasound. Over some time, they ossify and the performance of neurosonography becomes impossible, as the bone is a serious acoustic barrier, impeding to transmit the ultrasound. 

The results of examination allow the doctors to exclude the development of aneurism, hemorrhages, arachnoid cysts, ischemia of the brain, tumors and meningitis. Thanks to the neurosonography, the doctor can assess the sizes and contours of ventricles of the brain, the condition of major vessels of the brain and their plexuses, determine whether there are no hemorrhages in ventricles or the brain matter.

The brain ultrasound is usually performed upon the order of pediatrician or pediatric neurologist. The neurosonography is indicated for all children in their first year of life as the quick, simple and safe method to exclude possible pathologies in their development. In some cases, the neurosonography is performed not only as the screening, but also based on the indications.

As the screening examination, the neurosonography is performed at the age of 1-1.5 months, if there are indications, the ultrasound can be performed before the ossification of fontanels (in most cases, it occurs about in a year, in rare cases – up to two years).

The ultrasound is safe and painless for the child; it is often performed, while the child is asleep, not disturbing his sleep. No special preparation for examination is required – the doctor examines the condition of the brain through the fontanel by using the ultrasound sensor and delivers the image.

In most cases, the examination is performed through the anterior fontanel, which is between the frontal and parietal bone, but can be performed through fontanels on the temples or occipital foramen, which is at the bottom of the neck.

There are no contraindications for performance of the neurosonography; this examination has no side effects. In Oxford Medical Kyiv clinic, the ultrasound is performed by the qualified diagnosticians on Phillips ultrasound machine.

You can make appointment for brain ultrasound in Oxford Medical clinic by calling us or filling out the feedback form on our website.