PS-117 Preterm Cerebral Microcirculation Assessed With Colour Doppler: A Pilot Study

Abstract

The preterm brain is vulnerable to changes in perfusion. Haemodynamic monitoring should detect inadequate perfusion-metabolism coupling. Beside blood pressure, cardiac output and NIRS are in clinical use as surrogates for tissue health monitoring. NIRS does not allow structure related visualization of perfusion. Current ultrasound technique permits visualization of flow around 2 cm/sec, possibly in vessels around 100 micron in diameter. This way corticofugal small arteries, corticopetal and ventriculopetal small veins can be visualized. Medial and lateral subependymal veins can be followed along their path of drainage into the terminal veins.