High-resolution neurosonographic examination of the lenticulostriate vessels in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

OBJECTIVES To assess the feasibility of visualizing lenticulostriate vessels (LV) using a linear high-resolution ultrasound probe and characterize LV morphology to determine whether morphological alterations in LV are present in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) as compared to the unaffected infants. METHODS We characterized LV by their echogenicity, width, length, tortuosity, and numbers of visualized stems/branches in neurosonographic examinations of 80 neonates. Our population included 45 unaffected (Non-HIE) and 35 with clinical and/or imaging diagnosis of HIE. Of the neonates with clinical diagnosis of HIE, 16 had positive MRI findings for HIE (HIE +MRI) and 19 had negative MRI findings (HIE-MRI). Annotations were performed twice with shuffled datasets at a one-month interval and intra rater reliability was assessed. Focused comparison was conducted between non-HIE, HIE +MRI and HIE-MRI neonates whose images were acquired with a high frequency linear transducer. RESULTS Studies acquired with the two most frequently utilized transducers significantly differed in number of branches (p = 0.002), vessel thickness (p = 0.007) and echogenicity (p = 0.009). Studies acquired with the two transducers also significantly differed in acquisition frequency (p < 0.001), thermal indices (p < 0.001) and use of harmonic imaging (p < 0.001). Groupwise comparison of vessels imaged with the most frequently utilized transducer found significantly fewer branches in HIE + MRI compared to HIE-MRI negative and non-HIE patients (p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS LV can be visualized in the absence of pathology using modern high-resolution neurosonography. Visualization of LV branches varies between HIE + MRI, HIE-MRI neonates and controls. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE High-resolution neurosonography is a feasible technique to assess LV morphology in healthy neonates and neonates with HIE.