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Radiographs and Cerebral Palsy

Radiographs
When an injury occurs during labor and delivery, a form of radiograph – either an MRI, or a CAT scan or an ultrasound can help determine when the injury happened. 

An ultrasound examines the brain through the use of sonographic waves.  When a child after birth begins to suffer from seizures, the medical team will perform an ultrasound.  This will help determine if there is either swelling of the brain (edema) or bleeding in the brain. For the most accurate results, the ultrasound is done immediately after birth.

A CAT scan uses a different type of radiographic waves to examine the infant’s brain, and determine when the injury occurred. Normally a CAT scan is performed within the first 7 days after birth, but it can also be performed at a later stage to examine other parts of the brain.  In this instance the physician will look to see if there is swelling of the brain, because when there is a lack of oxygen at birth the result can be swelling of the brain.    A CAT scan is an excellent method to very good tool to look for swelling of the brain.  In most instances, edema will appear shortly there has been a hypoxic insult.   Within a day or two, it will become maximal.  Within 48 hours the brain will exhibit signs of lot of swelling in the brain.  Sometimes the swelling lasts as long for up to three or even four days.  After that time it begins to recede.  Sometimes you can see the swelling within 6 to 12 hours after the insult has taken place. It follows a pattern whereby it rises, peaks and then it comes down.  The CAT scan is thus a very good tool for measuring that.

MRI’s use magnetic waves to see if there has been an injury.  It examines different parts of the brain which it can see more accurately than a CAT scan. 

If there is a lack of oxygen or a lack of blood flow during labor and delivery, these 3 tools can help determine when that injury occurred.

More Videos about Cerebral Palsy

All the Cerebral Palsy Videos

Cerebral Palsy Video #1	Introduction to Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy Video #2	Causes of Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy Video #3	Cerebral Palsy - Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
Cerebral Palsy Video #4	Cerebral Palsy HIE Timing of Brain Injury
Cerebral Palsy Video #5	Cerebral Palsy Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring
Cerebral Palsy Video #6	Cerebral Palsy Nucleated Red Blood Cells
Cerebral Palsy Video #7	Radio Graphs and Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy Video #8	Cerebral Palsy - Placental Pathology
Cerebral Palsy Video #9	Cerebral Palsy - Microceply
Cerebral Palsy Video #10	Cerebral Palsy - Vaginal birth after C-section (VBAC)
Cerebral Palsy Video #11	Cerebral Palsy - Placental Abruption