Skull and scalp ultrasound in children: a review

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: An important task of modern pediatrics is to ensure radiation safety of diagnostic examinations, especially in young children. One of the options for reducing radiation exposure at the stages of screening diagnostics and dynamic monitoring is a wider use of ultrasound.OBJECTIVE: To analyze the data of domestic and foreign literature on the possibilities of ultrasound examination of the cranial vault bones, cranial sutures and scalp in children.MATERIALS AND METHODS: The literature search was performed in open Russian and English databases Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, RSCI, eLIBRARY using keywords and phrases: «skull ultrasound», «scalp ultrasound», «cranial sutures ultrasound», «point of care ultrasound», «pediatric POCUS» without limitation of retrospective depth.RESULTS: Based on the literature data and our own long-term experience in the use of cranial ultrasonography in clinical practice, the indications and examination technique, as well as the key ultrasound signs of the most frequent types of pathology are described. Prospects of scalp and skull ultrasonography within PoCUS, FAST, including the use of portable sonoscopes based on smartphones and tablets are outlined.CONCLUSION: Ultrasound of the skull and scalp is a quick, simple, affordable, harmless method of screening and monitoring the most frequent types of pathologies of the cranial vault bones, cranial sutures, and soft tissues of the scalp in children (for example, fractures, synostoses, neoplasms).