1216: Prenatal diagnosis of fetal cerebral malformations

Abstract

We report on a comprehensive approach of the diagnosis of fetal cerebral malformations with the combined use of ultrasound and MRI. Ultrasound examination of the fetal brain was performed by scrolling through 3-plan views of two volumes acquired from the fetal brain through the lambdatic and bregmatic fontanelles respectively. These two volumes were adequate to thoroughly analyse all malformations seen in three orthogonal axial, sagittal and coronal planes. Abnormal cases were also imaged on a 1.5 T clinical system using a single shot fast spin echo technique. The definitive diagnosis was made either at autopsy in cases that went to termination of pregnancy or by postnatal magnetic resonance imaging in the others. Our results suggest that ultrasound examination is sufficient to diagnose and critically assess most brain abnormalities and that in selected cases detected by ultrasound, antenatal magnetic resonance may provide additional, clinically useful information that may alter management, especially in abnormalities of the posterior fossa as well as to assess the sulcation and gyration processes.