Canine Neonatal Transcranial Ultrasonography From Birth Until Closure of Bregmatic Fontanelle

Ultrasonography is a valuable diagnostic tool that has been used for diagnosis of neonatal brain diseases. The purpose of the present study was to describe the sequential ultrasonographic appearance of the normal canine neonatal brain from birth till closure of the bregmatic fontanelle. In total, 16 clinically normal neonates of mixed breed dogs were used. The bregmatic fontanelle was used as an acoustic window to record 5 transcranial scans (3 transverse, 1 sagittal, and 1 parasagittal scans) at 3, 10, 20, and 30 days of age. The appearance, echogenicity, and developmental differentiation of the structures within the cranium were described. Good images were obtained at 10 and 20 days of age. At 30 days of age, the obtained images presented poor details, as the fontanelle was small. Data obtained from this study represent the basis of brain ultrasound in neonates until 30 days of age, which could be beneficial in diagnosing congenital brain diseases.