Volume development changes in the occipital lobe gyrus assessed by MRI in fetuses with isolated ventriculomegaly correlate with neurological development in infancy and early childhood.

Abstract

This study was to systematically assess the occipital lobe gray and white matter volume of isolated ventriculomegaly (IVM) fetuses with MRI and to follow up the neurodevelopment of participants. MRI was used to evaluate 37 IVM fetuses and 37 control fetuses. The volume of gray and white matter in each fetal occipital gyrus was manually segmented and compared, and neurodevelopment was followed up and assessed in infancy and early childhood. Compared with the control group, the volume of gray matter in occipital lobe increased in the IVM group, and the incidence of neurodevelopmental delay increased. We tested the hypothesis that prenatal diagnosis IVM represents a biological marker for development in fetal occipital lobe. Compared with the control group, the IVM group showed differences in occipital gray matter development and had a higher risk of neurodevelopmental delay.