Can microcephaly be detected by ultrasound?

Microcephaly is a type of fetal malformation and a problem that many parents do not want to see. Many people want to know whether microcephaly can be detected through B-ultrasound. In fact, microcephaly cannot be detected through B-ultrasound and requires a CT scan to be detected. Microcephaly is treatable. Below, we will introduce you to the relevant knowledge about microcephaly in detail!

Microcephaly can be divided into true microcephaly and relative microcephaly. True microcephaly is mostly caused by an autosomal abnormality, or the fetus, especially in early pregnancy, is exposed to radiation or intrauterine infection, showing that the gyrus is too small, or there is no gyrus, and brain development is significantly delayed, often stopping progress in the 3rd to 5th month of fetal development. The patient's head is small and pointed, with a flat forehead. The head circumference is smaller than the chest circumference, with a maximum of no more than 43 cm and a minimum of less than 25 cm. The brain weighs less than 900 grams, the forehead and occipital region are often flat, the anterior fontanelle closes early, and the sutures close all or partly too early. The physical and intellectual development is backward, and there are language and behavioral development disorders. Some patients have convulsions, increased muscle tone, and even spastic paralysis. The prognosis varies depending on the degree of brain dysplasia. Acupuncture treatment can achieve certain therapeutic effects. Relative microcephaly, also known as pseudomicrocephaly, is caused by brain damage and brain atrophy caused by inflammation and cerebrovascular damage. The degree of head circumference reduction is lighter than true microcephaly.

2. Symptoms

The main manifestation of this disease is that after brain development is completed, the weight of the brain is significantly lighter than normal, and the gyri are too small or absent at all. The development of the brain is significantly slow, and may even stop developing when the baby is 3 to 5 months old. As a result, the top of the child's head becomes small and pointed, the bridge of the nose is sunken, the ears are large, the lower jaw is retracted, the forehead is narrow and the head circumference is extremely small, with the largest being less than 42 cm. The child's forehead and occiput are flat, and the fontanelles and sutures close prematurely. There are obvious physical abnormalities and significant intellectual retardation. Some children even experience convulsions, stiffness of the limbs, athetosis of the hands and feet, and paralysis.

3. Examination and Treatment

Treatment of this disease should include head radiographs and CT scans, and patients with increased intracranial pressure should undergo surgery as soon as possible. For children with simple premature suture closure, neurosurgery can be used, which can achieve certain results.

Microcephaly is mainly treated with surgery, which aims to expand the cranial cavity, relieve intracranial hypertension, and allow the compressed brain tissue and cranial nerves to develop and grow.

There are two ways of surgical treatment. One is to remove the prematurely closed bone suture and then select a new one. The other is to remove large pieces of bone to achieve decompression and facilitate brain development.

The earlier the surgery is performed, the better. The prognosis is better if the surgery is performed within six months after the onset of optic nerve atrophy and intellectual disability. Once optic nerve atrophy and intellectual disability occur, the function will be difficult to recover even with surgery.