| a device that employs reflected ultrasonic waves to examine the position of brain structures. |
echoencephalography ech·o·en·ceph·a·log·ra·phy (ěk'ō-ěn-sěf'ə-lŏg'rə-fē)
n.
The use of reflected ultrasound to create a detailed visual image of the brain.
echoencephalography
method for detecting abnormalities within the cranial cavity, based on the reflection of high-frequency sound pulses delivered to the head through a probe held firmly to the scalp. The reflected pulses from the skin, brain ventricle, skull, and other head structures are recorded and amplified with a cathode-ray oscilloscope, giving a measure of the distance between the probe and the reflecting surfaces. The method is rapid, painless, and harmless; it is a good screening test for mass lesions causing brain shift and is well adapted for emergency examination of patients with brain hemorrhage. See also brain scanning.
Learn more about echoencephalography with a free trial on Britannica.com.