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Cranial Ultrasound

Image of cranial ultrasound

Child's brain illustration copyright 2000 by Nucleus Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.nucleusinc.com

Images courtesy of Intermountain Medical Imaging, Boise, Idaho.

Cranial ultrasound uses reflected sound waves to produce pictures of the brain and the inner fluid chambers (ventricles) through which cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flows. This test is most commonly done on babies to evaluate complications of premature birth.

Figure 1 shows a normal brain of a newborn baby. Figure 2 shows an area of bleeding in a premature newborn baby.

By Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Howard Schaff, MD - Diagnostic Radiology
Last Revised December 5, 2010

Last Revised: December 5, 2010

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & Howard Schaff, MD - Diagnostic Radiology

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