Application of 2- and 3-Dimensional Sonography Using the Virtual Organ Computer-Aided Analysis Technique to Measure the Hippocampal Formation and Its Correlation With Corrected Gestational Age in Neonates.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to use transcranial 2- and 3-dimensional sonography with the Virtual Organ computer-aided analysis (GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI) technique to observe the morphologic characteristics of the hippocampal formation and to analyze its correlation with the corrected gestational age. Transcranial sonography was performed from the sagittal plane of the anterior fontanel to the sagittal plane of the posterior horn of the lateral ventricle. The morphologic characteristics of the hippocampal formation in 183 singleton neonates with a corrected gestational age of 32 to 43 weeks were observed. The long diameter, short diameter, area, and perimeter of the hippocampal formation were all quantitatively measured. The volume of the hippocampal formation was measured by 3-dimensional sonography using the Virtual Organ computer-aided analysis technique. The correlation between the corrected gestational age and each parameter was analyzed. The display rate of the hippocampal formation was 100% in the neonates with a typical hippocampus shape. In healthy neonates with a corrected gestational age of 32 to 43 weeks, the long and short diameters, area, perimeter, and volume of the hippocampal formation were all positively correlated with the gestational age. Transcranial sonography could be used as a conventional approach for evaluation of the development of the hippocampal formation in neonates.