[Sonographic screening of basilar arteries reduces the risk of sudden infant death.]

[Sonographic screening of basilar arteries reduces the risk of sudden infant death.] Radiologe. 2013 Jun 28; Authors: Deeg KH, Reisig A Abstract Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the most frequent cause of death in the first year of life. The causes of SIDS remain unclear although multiple theories have been published in recent decades. However, some important risk factors associated with SIDS, such as prone sleeping have been validated. Over 85 % of all SIDS victims were found in a prone position but it is unclear why the prone sleeping position is more dangerous than the supine sleeping position. A possible cause of SIDS is hypoperfusion of the brain stem during head rotation. Some infants show compression of the vertebral arteries at the craniocervical junction during head rotation, especially in the prone position and this may lead to a subsequent decrease of brain stem perfusion. If compression lasts for a longer time hypoperfusion of the brainstem and central apnea and bradycardia result, which can lead to SIDS. The decrease in brainstem perfusion occurs more often and is more pronounced in the prone position as the head is more rotated in the prone than in the supine position. Doppler sonographic flow measurements of the flow in the basilar artery through the open fontanel, allow the detection of patients at risk of position-dependent hypoperfusion of the brain. Flow measurements are obtained in a neutral position (head in midlin...
Source: Der Radiologe - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Radiologe Source Type: research