Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026
10:02
State of the Art Cranial Ultrasound Imaging in Neonates
Published on: February 2, 2015
Three-dimensional digital capture of head size in neonates - a method evaluation
Sascha Ifflaender1, Mario Rüdiger, Arite Koch
1Department of Neonatology and Paediatric Intensive Care, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany.
Plos One
|April 13, 2013
Summary
Head circumference (HC) measurements may mislead in preterm infants; 3D laser scanning offers reproducible cranial volume (CrV) and HC data. This advanced method provides a more accurate assessment of head growth in neonates.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Neurodevelopmental outcomes
- Medical imaging technologies
Background:
- Neonatal care quality is linked to long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes.
- Preterm infant neurodevelopment depends on postnatal head growth and medical interventions.
- Head circumference (HC) is a standard 2D measure, but head deformities in preterm infants can limit its accuracy.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate the reproducibility of a 3D digital capture system for newborn head scans.
- Compare manual and digital HC measurements in a neonatal cohort.
- Determine the correlation between HC and cranial volume (CrV) and assess HC's predictive value for CrV.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed head scan data from a laser shape digitizer over twelve months.
- Employed repeated measures for method evaluation and compared manual and digital HC acquisition.
- Performed regression analysis to examine the relationship between HC and CrV.
Main Results:
- The 3D laser system demonstrated excellent interobserver reliability for both HC and CrV.
- Manual and digital HC measurements were found to be interchangeable.
- HC and CrV showed a strong correlation (r²=0.859), but HC poorly predicted CrV (RSD ±24 ml).
Conclusions:
- Traditional 2D HC measurements may be misleading for assessing preterm infant head growth.
- Cranial volume (CrV) can significantly differ between infants with similar HC.
- The 3D laser scanner provides reproducible HC and CrV data, offering a promising alternative, though additional imaging is needed for cerebral structure assessment.
