Cranial Ultrasound Course
The Cranial Ultrasound Course (Basic + Advanced Combined) equips participants with the knowledge and practical skills required to confidently perform and interpret neonatal cranial ultrasound examinations.
- Comprehensive coverage of basic and advanced neonatal
cranial ultrasound techniques. - Systematic approach to image acquisition, interpretation, and reporting.
- Recognition of common and complex neonatal brain pathologies,
including GMH-IVH, white matter injury and congenital anomalies. - Interactive case-based discussions and prognostic counselling.
- Hands-on scanning workshops in small groups with expert faculty guidance.
- Practical, evidence-based content directly applicable to neonatal clinical practice.
Course Directors

Dr. Akuma Oti Akuma
Consultant Neonatologist, Corniche Hospital, Abu Dhabi, UAE
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Dr Akuma is a Consultant Neonatologist in Corniche Hospital, Abu Dhabi. He joined Corniche in 2016 from the UK where he had his Paediatric training and sub-specialisation in Neonatology under the auspices of the UK National Neonatology Grid programme. Following completion of training, he was appointed as a substantive Consultant Neonatologist at the Leicester Royal Infirmary in 2009. This is a Regional Tertiary Neonatal Intensive Care unit that also housed the largest Adult and Paediatric ECMO programme in Europe.
Dr Akuma has extensive clinical experience and has held several leadership positions. He has several indexed published papers and is a recipient of the UK Consultant CEA Awards in 2015. His areas of interest include: Antenatal counselling (High Risk Pregnancies), Echocardiography, Cranial Ultrasound, Neonatal Nutrition, Neonatal Pain, Risk Management, and Mortality Review.

Dr. Velmurugan Ramalingam
Consultant Neonatologist, Corniche Hospital, Abu Dhabi, UAE
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Dr. Velmurugan Ramalingam, FRCPCH, DCH, MSc (Child Health), PGDip (Healthcare Leadership), CCT (Neonatal Medicine), PGDip (Neonatology–NOTE)
Dr. Velmurugan Ramalingam is a UK-trained Consultant Neonatologist at Corniche Hospital, Abu Dhabi. Prior to joining Corniche Hospital in 2017, he served as Consultant Neonatologist and Clinical Governance Lead at Birmingham Women’s Hospital, one of the UK’s leading tertiary neonatal centres.
His specialist interests include neonatal hemodynamics, targeted neonatal echocardiography, cranial ultrasound, and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). He leads the Neonatal Echocardiography Peer Group at Corniche Hospital, serves on the SEHA Pediatric Cardiology Subcommittee, and co-chairs the hospital Resuscitation Committee.
Dr. Velmurugan has led the development of several neonatal and resuscitation guidelines, including those for neonatal hypotension, PDA assessment and management, heart murmurs, Golden Hour stabilization, Code Pink, and pediatric respiratory and cardiac arrest management. He is also recognized for the early echocardiographic diagnosis of a rare congenital heart defect, Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage (PAPVD), a case that received widespread coverage across regional media and highlighted the importance of advanced neonatal cardiac imaging.
An experienced educator and international speaker, he is passionate about advancing physiology-based neonatal care and translating ultrasound findings into practical bedside decision-making.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Perform a structured neonatal cranial ultrasound examination.
- Identify normal cranial ultrasound anatomy and anatomical landmarks.
- Recognize common haemorrhagic and white matter brain lesions.
- Identify important congenital brain abnormalities.
- Integrate ultrasound findings into clinical decision-making and family counselling.
Who Should Attend?
- Neonatologists
- Paediatricians
- Neonatal and Paediatric Trainees
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioners
- Advanced Practice Providers
- Clinicians with an interest in neonatal neuroimaging and point-of-care
ultrasound (POCUS)