[Clinical use of sonography in neonatology]

During the neonatal period, sonography mostly represents the primary imaging modality of choice. Noninvasiveness, no exposure to ionizing radiation and no harmful side effects in biologic tissues contribute to the advantages of this technique. Validity of ultrasonic imaging in the neonatal age group lies primarily in the detection of congenital anomalies. Intraacerebral (2.39 per 1000 live births) as well as intracardiac (6 per 1000 live births) and intraabdominal anomalies can be diagnosed sonographically. Anatomic sites of origin of neonatal abdominal masses are renal (55%), genital (15%), gastrointestinal (15%), non-renal retroperitoneal (10%) and hepato-spleno-biliary (5%). Furthermore, changes of echogenicity reflect structural changes and thus impairment of function in various organs. Finally, Duplex sonography, the combination of real time imaging and Doppler flow measurement, can differentiate between vascular and avascular lesions and normal and abnormal flow patterns. The application of diagnostic ultrasound in the neonatal period is demonstrated.