Prenatal Diagnosis of a Fetal Epidural Hematoma Using 2- and 3-Dimensional Sonography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Abstract

Fetal intracranial hemorrhage, detected prenatally, is a rare event. An estimated incidence of 1 per 10,000 pregnancies has been suggested. 1 Etiologies include maternal trauma, fetal coagulation disorders (Rh alloimmunization, alloimmune thrombocytopenia, twin-to-twin transfusion, fetal hemophilia, and other bleeding disorders), maternal use of specific medications such as warfarin or illicit drugs such as cocaine, intrauterine hypoxia, and maternal infection (cytomegalovirus, rubella, toxoplasmosis, and herpes simplex virus). 2-4 In most cases, however, no etiology is ever identified. 1,5 Sonography and, more recently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been used as screening methods in evaluating the fetal central nervous system.' Prenatal diagnosis plays an important role in determining the etiology and prognosis when intracranial hemorrhage is present. In this report, we describe a case of a prenatally diagnosed epidural hematoma that was not associated with maternal trauma.