Predictive value of transcranial Doppler ultrasound for brain development and craniocerebral injury in premature infants
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnostic value of early transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound in assessing brain function development and intracranial diseases in preterm infants. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of 100 preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Affiliated Changzhou Children's Hospital of Nantong University from June 2022 to December 2023. Based on clinical diagnosis, the infants were divided into two groups: brain injury group (47 cases) and non-brain injury group (53 cases). All infants underwent bedside transcranial ultrasound examination using a color Doppler ultrasound diagnostic instrument. Ultrasound imaging and hemodynamic indices were compared between the two groups. The diagnostic value of color Doppler ultrasound for brain injury in premature infants and the correlation between cerebral hemodynamic indices and brain injury severity were analyzed. RESULTS: The sensitivity and accuracy of TCD ultrasound for diagnosing brain injury in preterm infants were 82.98% and 85.00%, respectively. Hemodynamic findings showed that the mean velocity (Vm) in the brain injury group was higher than in the non-brain injury group within 12-24 hours after birth, while the pulsatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI) were lower (both P<0.001). In the moderate to severe brain injury group, Vm was markedly higher, while PI and RI were significantly lower than those of the mild brain injury group within 12-24 hours after birth (P<0.001). The area under the ROC curve for Vm, PI, and RI in predicting brain injury in preterm infants was 0.898, 0.940, and 0.794, respectively, with PI showing the highest diagnostic value. Vm was positively correlated with the degree of brain injury with a coefficient of 0.713; However, PI and RI were negatively correlated with the degree of brain injury (r=-0.706 and -0.645, respectively). CONCLUSION: Bedside transcranial ultrasound can effectively reflect the brain parenchymal development of preterm infants. Its hemodynamic indicators can accurately assess intracranial blood flow, making it valuable for detecting brain hemorrhage. Additionally, this method is convenient, non-invasive, and well-accepted by patients, making it a promising tool for clinical practice.
DOI: 10.62347/qjzn6645
Author: Qin Lu
Institution: Nantong University
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4408946630