Ultrasonic evaluation of complicated meningitis

Sixty children of proven meningitis and with clinical suspicion of its complications and open fontanelle were evaluated by real time ultrasound. Twenty of these patients had normal ultrasound findings while 40 showed varied sonographic features suggesting complications of meningitis, e.g., ventricular dilatation, pus in the ventricles, increased periventricular echogenicity, brain abscess, subdural effusion, porencephalic cysts, etc. Ultrasound is very useful in the diagnosis and serial follow up of these complications.