Newborn Ultrasound Screening

In urgent cases, new-born ultrasound screening will usually be organized in hospital before discharge, however there are several other cases where screening is required after discharge from hospital.

Conditions tested in new-born ultrasound screening can cause serious health issues in infancy or later in life, several of which are difficult to accurately diagnose during antenatal (pregnancy) ultrasound. It is important to raise awareness, as early identification and diagnosis allow early medical intervention, which helps preventing and significantly reducing the mortality and morbidity associated with these disorders.

Brain (Head) Ultrasound

A head ultrasound is a scan through baby’s fontanelle (soft spot in baby’s skull) to examine the structures of the brain. It is safe and similar to an ultrasound that mothers have during pregnancy; it does not expose your baby to any radiation.

The scan is performed routinely in preterm (premature) babies in hospital to check for bleeding in the brain, to monitor the size of the fluid spaces (ventricles) of the brain, and later to look signs of brain injury.

Once outside of hospital, the commonest reason for a brain ultrasound is when the head size appears to grow unusually fast relative to the rest of the body – in this case we want to exclude a condition called hydrocephalus, where there is abnormal accumulation of fluid in the ventricles of the brain.

The ultrasound is also an invaluable screening tool to exclude congenital abnormalities of the brain which may cause problems later in life.

It is important to note that ultrasound can only be used as long as the fontanelle (soft spot) remains open – once it closes we may need to resort to an MRI scan performed under a general anaesthetic.

Spine Ultrasound

A spinal ultrasound is performed to assess the spinal cord of the baby. Most commonly this ultrasound is required when babies are born with a dimple on the lower end of their spine or tail bone. Asymmetrical creases in the natal cleft (groove between the buttocks), swelling, tufts of hair or birth marks over the lower back are other indications for scanning the spine.

In new-born babies, ultrasound can pass through the soft bones and look at the spinal cord. We check that the cord is not abnormally anchored to the lower spine (tethered) and most importantly check that the bones of the spine are normally closed in order to exclude spina bifida (occulta).

Spine ultrasound will include an assessment of the kidneys, both because they are an important landmark, but also to exclude common kidney abnormalities which may have been missed during antenatal ultrasound.

Kidney & Abdominal Ultrasound

The kidneys are essential organs which remove waste and extra fluid from the body in the form of urine, maintaining a healthy balance of water, salts, and minerals.

Congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract are some of the most common birth defects, however the majority are associated with a normal life if monitored and managed appropriately.

The commonest abnormality is the presence of hydronephrosis – an abnormal accumulation of urine in the kidneys. This may be the result of backwashing of urine into the kidneys from the bladder (reflux), or a blockage in the system.

Should your child develop a fever without a clear explanation, the urine should be tested before starting antibiotics, in order to exclude urine infections, as this may be a sign of an underlying kidney problem.

Hip Ultrasound Screening

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) previously known as Congenital dislocation of the hip (CDH) is a problem with the way a baby's hip joint develops. It happens around the time of birth and can affect one hip or both.

Ultrasound works best under the age of 6 months but is ideally performed before 6 weeks of age because the earlier treatment is started, the more likely it is to be successful.

Read more about hip screening here:
https://andregatt.com/f/neonatal-hip-ultrasound-screening