Preterm neonatal lateral ventricle volume from three-dimensional ultrasound is not strongly correlated to two-dimensional ultrasound measurements.

Jessica Kishimoto,David S C Lee,Fateme Salehi,Sandrine De Ribaupierre,Walter Romano,Aaron Fenster

doi:10.1117/1.jmi.3.4.046003

Jessica Kishimoto, David S C Lee + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1117/1.jmi.3.4.046003

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to compare longitudinal two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasound (US) estimates of ventricle size in preterm neonates with posthemorrhagic ventricular dilatation (PHVD) using quantitative measurements of the lateral ventricles. Cranial 2-D US and 3-D US images were acquired from neonatal patients with diagnosed PHVD within 10min of each other one to two times per week and analyzed offline. Ventricle index, anterior horn width, third ventricle width, and thalamo-occipital distance were measured on the 2-D images and ventricle volume (VV) was measured from 3-D US images. Changes in the measurements between successive image sets were also recorded. No strong correlations were found between VV and 2-D US measurements ([Formula: see text] between 0.69 and 0.36). Additionally, weak correlations were found between changes in 2-D US measurements and 3-D US VV ([Formula: see text] between 0.13 and 0.02). A trend was found between increasing 2-D US measurements and 3-D US-based VV, but this was not the case when comparing changes between 3-D US VV and 2-D US measurements. If 3-D US-based VV provides a more accurate estimate of ventricle size than 2-D US measurements, moderate-weak correlations with 3-D US suggest that monitoring preterm patients with PHVD using 2-D US measurements alone might not accurately represent whether the ventricles are progressively dilating. A volumetric measure (3-D US or MRI) could be used instead to more accurately represent changes.

Highlights

Posthemorrhagic ventricle dilatation (PHVD) is characterized by an enlargement of the cerebral ventricles and commonly occurs in preterm neonates with moderate to severe intraventricular hemorrhages (IVHs), grades II–IV, as graded by the clinical standard system.[1]
Horsch et al.[7] found that the anterior horn width (AHW) was strongly correlated with MRI ventricle volume (VV) (R2 1⁄4 0.88) when preterm born infants with varying ventricle sizes were imaged at term equivalent age
We have previously found very high correlations between MRI and 3-D US VV in preterm born infants with PHVD when imaged at term equivalent age (R2 1⁄4 0.99).[14]

Summary

Introduction

Posthemorrhagic ventricle dilatation (PHVD) is characterized by an enlargement of the cerebral ventricles and commonly occurs in preterm neonates with moderate to severe intraventricular hemorrhages (IVHs), grades II–IV, as graded by the clinical standard system.[1]. Several quantitative measurements [ventricle index (VI), anterior horn width (AHW), thalamo-occipital distance (TOD), third ventricle width (3rd)] have been derived for 2-D US images.[5] These measurements rely on the linear widths of ventricles to estimate the changes in VV as the disease progresses. Such measurements have not been standardized across neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), The “gold standard” to quantify VV makes use of threedimensional (3-D) MR images, but can only be acquired once the patient is stable enough to be transferred to the imaging suite —often weeks after initial diagnosis and intervention for PHVD. Only a few studies directly comparing 2-D US and MRI measurements of the ventricles have been done.[7,8] Horsch et al.[7] found that the AHW was strongly correlated with MRI VV (R2 1⁄4 0.88) when preterm born infants with varying ventricle sizes were imaged at term equivalent age

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