***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
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    Input: OBJECTIVE To evaluate possible differences in measurements of the width of atria of the lateral cerebral ventricles of male and female fetuses . STUDY DESIGN A prospect ively entered data base was review ed to identify patients undergoing ultrasound examination at > 13 weeks between July 1 , 1994 and June 30 , 1995 . Inclusion criteria included identification of fetal gender , measurement of the atria , and the absence of fetal anomalies . RESULTS The atrial width of the lateral ventricles was statistically greater in male than in female fetuses ( 7.1 vs. 7.0 mm , p < 0.001 ) . CONCLUSION Although statistically significant , the difference between genders in the measurement of the ventricular atria is too small to be of clinical utility Background . Despite improvements in survival data , the incidence of neurodevelopmental h and icaps in preterm infants remains high . To prevent these h and icaps , one must underst and the pathophysiology behind them . For preterm infants , cerebral ventriculomegaly ( VM ) may be associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcome . We hypothesized that although the causes of VM are multiple , the incidence of h and icap at 4.5 years of age in preterm infants with this ultrasonographic finding at term would be high . Methods . To test this hypothesis , we provided neurodevelopmental follow-up for all 440 very low birth weight survivors of the Multicenter R and omized Indomethacin Intraventricular Hemorrhage ( IVH ) Prevention Trial . A total of 384 children ( 87 % ) were evaluated at 54 months ' corrected age ( CA ) , and 257 subjects were living in English-speaking , monolingual households and are included in the following data analysis . Results . Moderate to severe low pressure VM at term was documented in 11 ( 4 % ) of the English-speaking , monolingual survivors . High grade IVH and bronchopulmonary dysplasia ( BPD ) were both risk factors for the development of VM . Of 11 ( 45 % ) children with VM , 5 suffered grade s 3 to 4 IVH , compared with 2/246 ( 1 % ) children without VM who experienced grade s 3 to 4 IVH . Similarly , 9/11 ( 82 % ) children with VM had BPD , compared with 120/246 ( 49 % ) children without VM who had BPD . Logistic regression analysis was performed using birth weight , gestational age , gender , Apgar score at 5 minutes , BPD , sepsis , moderate to severe VM , periventricular leukomalacia , grade of IVH , and maternal education to predict IQ < 70 . Although maternal education was an important and independent predictor of adverse cognitive outcome , in this series of very low birth weight prematurely born children , VM was the most important predictor of IQ < 70 ( OR : 19.0 ; 95 % CI : 4.5 , 80.6 ) . Of children with VM , 6/11 ( 55 % ) had an IQ < 70 , compared with 31/246 ( 13 % ) of children without VM . Children with VM had significantly lower verbal and performance scores compared with children without VM . Conclusions . These data suggest that , for preterm neonates , VM at term is a consequence of the vulnerability of the developing brain . Furthermore , its presence is an important and independent predictor of adverse cognitive and motor development at 4.5 years ' CA AIMS To establish normal ranges , in preterm infants < 33 weeks ' gestation , for measurements of the lateral , third , and fourth ventricles and to assess intra-observer and inter-observer reliability . To assess the effect of head position during scanning on lateral ventricle size . To determine whether sex influences ventricle size . METHODS A prospect i ve study involving infants < 33 weeks ' gestational age ( GA ) at birth .  Cranial ultrasound scans were done during the first 3 days of life . Linear dimensions of the anterior horn width and thalamo-occipital distance of the lateral ventricles , the width of the third ventricle , and the width and length of the fourth ventricle were measured . Measurements were plotted against GA and reference ranges produced . All measurements were tested for intra-observer and inter-observer reliability . Head position and sex differences were studied . RESULTS 120 infants with known GA ( 23 + 1 to 32 + 6 weeks ) had their intracranial ventricles measured . Reference ranges obtained were — anterior horn width : 0–2.9 mm ; thalamo-occipital distance : 8.7–24.7 mm ; third ventricle width : 0–2.6 mm ; fourth ventricle width : 3.3–7.4 mm ; fourth ventricle length : 2.6–6.9 mm . Dependent and non-dependent lateral ventricles did not differ significantly in size . There was no clinical ly significant difference in ventricular size between sexes . CONCLUSIONS Reference ranges for the measurement of the intracranial ventricles in preterm infants from 23 to 33 weeks ' GA are provided and can be used in the diagnosis and assessment of ventricular enlargement in preterm infants . All measurements have good intra-observer and inter-observer reliability . Head position at the time of scanning does not influence the asymmetry of the lateral ventricular measurements . The infant 's sex does not influence ventricular size OBJECTIVES Normal ranges for fetal cerebral ventricular width are usually based on parametric methods , which define cut-off values based on means and st and ard deviations . We aim ed to construct reference charts based on a large sample and using a method that better fits with skewed measurements . METHODS In November 2001-December 2005 , a single operator , who was unaware of the subsequent analysis , performed prospect ively and routinely fetal cerebral ventricular width measurements . We used the LMS method ( which summarizes the changing distribution of a variable of interest according to a covariate ( gestational age ) using three curves representing the median ( M ) , the coefficient of variation ( S ) and skewness ( L ) ) to describe the distribution of measurements with gestational age . The LMS method provides a general method for fitting smooth centile curves to reference data . It utilizes the power transformation family of Box and Cox to allow the skewness of the measurement distribution , as well as the median and variability , to vary with age . The theoretical proportion of fetal ventricular widths > or = 10 mm based on the LMS method and on methods based on the assumption of normality were compared with the actual proportion using binomial tests . The influence on ventricular size of gestational age and fetal gender and presentation was assessed using robust regression methods . RESULTS Included in the study were 4769 ventricular measurements , 42 ( 0.88 % ) of which were > or = 10 mm . The LMS method allowed us to fit the skewness of the measurements and identified slight changes throughout gestation . The actual proportion of measurements > or = 10 mm was not different from that expected according to the LMS method ( 0.88 % vs. 1 % , P = 0.25 ) , whereas it was significantly different from that based on the classical normal approximation ( 0.88 % vs. 0.4 % , P < 0.0001 ) . There was a significant difference with gender ( males : + 0.29 + /- 0.042 mm as compared to females , P < 0.0001 ) , but there was no difference with fetal presentation ( P = 0.4 ) . CONCLUSION We present new reference values for fetal ventricular width based on the LMS method . A fixed cut-off value of 10 mm identifies around 1 % of the population throughout gestation , which is more than that calculated in previous studies OBJECTIVE To assess the independent relation of neonatal cranial ultrasound ( US ) abnormalities in low birth weight ( LBW ) infants to cognitive outcomes at 6 years of age . DESIGN Prospect i ve cohort study . SAMPLE AND METHODS Six-year follow-up data were obtained on a regional birth cohort of LBW infants ( < 2 kg ) systematic ally screened as neonates with serial US .  US abnormalities were dichotomized into isolated germinal matrix/intraventricular hemorrhage ( GM/IVH ) and parenchymal lesions/ventricular enlargement ( PL/VE ) . Global cognitive outcomes ( mental retardation , borderline intelligence , and normal intelligence ) and selected specific cognitive abilities were assessed at 6 years of age with st and ardized instruments . Multivariate techniques were used to assess the effects of US independent of maternal social disadvantage at birth and other perinatal and neonatal risk factors . RESULTS The sample as a whole had a significantly elevated rate of mental retardation ( MR ; 5 % ) , almost all moderate to profound in severity . PL/VE was independently related to MR ( odds ratio [ OR ] , 65.8 ; confidence interval [ CI ] , 19.1 to 22.4 ) and borderline intelligence ( OR , 3.7 ; CI , 1.3 to 10.8 ) ; isolated GM/IVH was more modestly related to MR ( OR , 4.6 ; CI , 1.2 to 18.6 ) but not related to borderline intelligence . Approximately half of the cases of MR were attributable to PL/VE independent of other factors . Of non-US factors , the number of days receiving mechanical ventilation increased the risk for MR . Maternal social disadvantage increased the risk for borderline intelligence but not MR . Among children of normal intelligence , those with PL/VE , but not isolated GM/IVH , performed more poorly than those without US abnormalities on tests of visual perceptual organization but not on tests of language , memory , or quantitative skills . CONCLUSION Prevention of white matter injury would substantially improve cognitive outcomes for LBW infants Intraobserver and interobserver reliability in assessing neonatal cranial ultrasounds for periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage ( PVH-IVH ) is not well studied ; therefore , studies were design ed to address this . For intraobserver reliability 180 cranial ultrasounds ( 360 hemispheres ) were r and omly selected from greater than 2000 ultrasounds  and read twice by one radiologist in a blinded fashion . Ninety-eight percent were interpreted identically ; of the 2 % reinterpreted differently , all were initially abnormal but normal on the second reading . The least agreement occurred when interpreting ventricular size . Only four infants ( 1.1 % ) were placed in an unfavorable prognostic category ( grade s III and IV ) on the first reading and a favorable prognostic category on the second interpretation ( no bleed , grade s I and II ) . To determine interobserver reliability  , 20 sonograms were interpreted by eight independent observers representing five institutions . Using the multiple rater kappa kappa statistic , we determined interobserver agreement on overall impression ( normal vs. abnormal ) , presence and extent of PVH-IVH ( i.e. grade ) , presence of residual cyst , and ventricular dilatation . Greatest degree of agreement occurred when determining normal vs. abnormal , residual cyst , no bleed , and grade s III and IV PVH-IVH . Poorest agreement occurred when reading grade s I and II PVH-IVH and ventricular dilatation . After condensing interpretations of cranial ultrasounds into two prognostic categories , i.e. favorable ( no bleed , grade s I and II ) and unfavorable ( grade s III and IV ) , there was excellent agreement among the observers Thirty-three low-birth-weight neonates were diagnosed prospect ively as having an intraventricular hemorrhage , using a real-time sonographic sector scanner . Ultrasound findings were corroborated in 27 patients by computed tomography ( CT )  or autopsy . Intraventricular blood is hyperechoic and , in a fresh hemorrhage , a continuous cast-like pattern of increased echogenicity replaces the usually minute , echo-free lateral ventricles . After one to three days , the lateral ventricles begin to enlarge around the echogenic clot if hydrocephalus complicates the hemorrhage . The sonographic findings indicating intraventricular hemorrhage and its progression to hydrocephalus are presented . The accuracy of sonographic real-time sector scanning in the evaluation of neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage is discussed and compared to CT We prospect ively performed serial cranial ultrasonography to determine the incidence of asymmetry of the lateral ventricles in very low-birth-weight ( VLBW ) infants ( 500 - 1500 g ) who did not have evidence of other intracranial pathology . Of the 490 babies scanned , 354 were free of other pathology and 41 ( 11.6 % ) had isolated ventricular asymmetry . In 10 infants , the asymmetry was seen on the initial scan and in 31 , it developed subsequently . In 19 infants , the ventricular asymmetry resolved and in 22 infants it persisted until hospital discharge . In no case was progressive enlargement of the ventricles noted . There was a striking tendency of the larger ventricle to be on the left side ( 33 L > R , 8 R > L ) . Compared with a control group of babies matched for birth weight and gestational age who had persistently negative scans , there were no differences in Apgar scores , cesarean section rate , gender distribution , prenatal steroid exposure , or complications of prematurity except for an increased incidence of respiratory distress syndrome requiring surfactant in the group with ventricular asymmetry ( 63 % vs. 29 % , p = 0.04 ) . Ventricular asymmetry is common in VLBW infants , but whether it is an incidental finding or represents subtle brain injury is unknown Subependymal and intraventricular hemorrhage are frequent complications of the high risk preterm infant . It has been stated recently that ultras 
    Output:
    
Serial cranial ultrasound measurements of the lateral ventricles play a key role in the early recognition and therapeutic evaluation of post-haemorrhagic ventricular dilation and can be of prognostic value in neonates with ventricular dilatation