Developmental outcomes of very low birthweight infants with non-hemorrhagic ventricular dilatations and the relationships thereof with absolute brain volumes measured via two-dimensional ultrasonography

Abstract

Purpose: We calculated the brain volumes of preterm infants using two-dimensional cranial ultrasonography and explored the relationships thereof with neurodevelopment. Methods: Cranial measurements were derived using routine ultrasonographic scanning. The brain was considered to be an ellipsoid and estimated absolute brain volumes (EABVs) were calculated by substracting the volumes of the two lateral ventricles from the total brain volumes. Results: We enrolled preterm infants of mean gestational age 28 ± 2 weeks and mean birthweight 973 ± 187 g. Twenty-one exhibited dilated ventricles; their EABVs were lower than normal (206 ± 11 cm3 vs. 275 ± 17 cm3, p < 0.001). The mental development indices were similar (74 ± 5 vs. 78 ± 14, p = 0.069), but the psychomotor development indices (PDIs) differed significantly (77 ± 7 vs. 86 ± 17, p = 0.001). We found a slight positive correlation between the PDI and EABV (r = + 0.258, p = 0.012). Conclusion: The EABV can be calculated using two-dimensional measurements and low EABV found to be associated with poor neurological outcomes.