3-D ultrasound quantification of neonatal cerebral ventricles in different head positions.

We determined the influence of head position on lateral ventricular cerebral volume in low-birth-weight infants by three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasound (US). Thirty-nine neonates were examined prospectively in a controlled and blinded study. We used a freehand 3-D US system to acquire data sets after head positioning for 3 h on left and right side in random order. The borders of the lateral ventricles were marked in stored cross-sections. Volumes were calculated as mean of duplicate measurements. Median volume of lateral cerebral ventricles was 1.03 (quartiles 0.78-1.36) mL. Median left ventricular volume was slightly larger than right one (p = 0.13). Down-side lateral ventricles showed smaller volumes than up-side positioned ventricles (p < 0.01). Freehand 3-D US allows quantification of small volumes as neonatal lateral cerebral ventricles. Head position influences the lateral cerebral ventricle volume in low-birth-weight infants.