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Updated: Apr 27, 2026
State of the Art Cranial Ultrasound Imaging in Neonates
Published on: February 2, 2015
Ultrasonographic assessment of subarachnoid space width in healthy infants aged 0-3 months: normative data and
Edis Çolak1,2, Pakize Karaoğlu3, Hüseyin Hüsnü Karaman4
1Department of Pediatric Radiology, Dr. Behçet Uz Children's Disease and Pediatric Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Izmir Faculty of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Izmir, Turkey. drediscolak@gmail.com.
Insights
This study establishes ultrasonography reference values for infant subarachnoid space width, finding age is key for craniocortical and sinocortical widths in healthy newborns up to 3 months old.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric imaging
- Neurodevelopmental pediatrics
- Infant neuroimaging
Background:
- Subarachnoid space (SAS) width is a key neuroimaging parameter in infants.
- Establishing normative data is crucial for diagnosing abnormalities.
- Growth-related changes in SAS dimensions during early infancy require detailed characterization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish ultrasonography-based reference values for subarachnoid space width in healthy infants aged 0-3 months.
- To investigate associations between anthropometric Z-scores and SAS measurements.
- To provide a practical reference for interpreting SAS dimensions in early infancy.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cross-sectional study of 125 healthy infants (0-3 months) undergoing cranial ultrasound.
- Measurement of craniocortical width (CCW), sinocortical width (SCW), and interhemispheric width (IHW).
- Analysis of associations between age, anthropometric Z-scores (BW, BH, BMI, BSA, HC), and SAS dimensions; intraobserver reliability assessed via ICC.
Main Results:
- Mean CCW, SCW, and IHW increased with age.
- Age was independently associated with CCW and SCW; no significant anthropometric associations for IHW.
- Proposed upper limits (95th percentile): CCW 3.1 mm, SCW 3.8 mm, IHW 4.2 mm.
- Excellent intraobserver agreement (ICC 0.93-0.95).
Conclusions:
- Ultrasonography-based normative data for infant SAS width were established.
- Age-dependent growth associations for CCW and SCW were identified.
- Findings offer a valuable reference for clinical interpretation of SAS dimensions in neonates and infants.
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to establish ultrasonography-based reference values for subarachnoid space width and to examine associations between anthropometric Z-scores and these measurements in healthy infants aged 0-3 months.
Methods:
This retrospective cross-sectional study included 125 healthy infants aged 0-3 months who underwent cranial ultrasound examinations. Subarachnoid space dimensions were measured bilaterally at the coronal level of the foramen of Monro, including craniocortical width (CCW), sinocortical width (SCW), and interhemispheric width (IHW). Age, body weight (BW), body height (BH), body mass index (BMI), body surface area (BSA), and head circumference (HC) Z-scores were analyzed for associations with subarachnoid space dimensions. Intraobserver reliability was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC, two-way mixed-effects model).
Results:
Mean values for CCW, SCW, and IHW increased progressively with age. Age was the only variable independently associated with CCW and SCW, while no significant anthropometric associations were found for IHW. Based on the 95th percentile, the proposed upper limits were 3.1 mm for CCW, 3.8 mm for SCW, and 4.2 mm for IHW. ICC values ranged from 0.93 to 0.95, indicating excellent intraobserver agreement.
Conclusions:
This study establishes ultrasonography-based normative data and describes growth-related associations for subarachnoid space width during the first 3 months of life. These findings provide a practical reference for interpreting subarachnoid space dimensions during early infancy.
