MR imaging appearance of fetal cerebral ventricular morphology.

PURPOSE To elucidate further the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging appearance of fetal cerebral ventricles by comparing ultrasonographic (US) and MR images. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective review of MR and US images was performed for 110 normal fetuses and 94 fetuses with central nervous system abnormalities to assess lateral ventricular morphology as having (a) a normal appearance, (b) mild, disproportionate dilatation of the occipital horns with overall preservation of ventricular morphology, (c) colpocephaly with or without normal orientation of the frontal horns, (d) abnormal orientation of the frontal horns without colpocephaly, (e) an angular appearance, (f) fused frontal horns, (g) global dilation, or (h) a distorted appearance. Ventricular morphology on US and MR images was compared and correlated with reference standard diagnoses. RESULTS US and MR imaging classifications were concordant in 145 of 188 (77%) examinations. Mild disproportion of occipital horns with respect to frontal horns was seen only on MR images. This ventricular configuration was present in eight of 110 normal fetuses and in 10 of 16 fetuses with isolated mild ventriculomegaly (P <.001). An angular configuration of the lateral ventricles, which is seen in fetuses with neural tube defects (NTDs), was present on review of MR images in 11 fetuses and on US images in one fetus. The ventricles of fetuses with NTDs and angular ventricles (3-12 mm) were significantly smaller than those of fetuses with NTDs and global dilatation of the ventricles (13-25 mm; P <.05). CONCLUSION Ventricular contours differ with differing diagnoses of central nervous system abnormalities.

[1]  A J Barkovich,et al.  Fast MR imaging of fetal CNS anomalies in utero. , 2000, AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology.

[2]  H. Hricak,et al.  Complex fetal disorders: effect of MR imaging on management--preliminary clinical experience. , 1999, Radiology.

[3]  R. Edelman,et al.  Central nervous system abnormalities assessed with prenatal magnetic resonance imaging. , 1999, Obstetrics and gynecology.

[4]  R. Edelman,et al.  Fetal CNS anomalies revealed on ultrafast MR imaging. , 1999, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[5]  L. Bilaniuk.  Magnetic resonance imaging of the fetal brain. , 1999, Seminars in roentgenology.

[6]  N. Burdi,et al.  Magnetic resonance imaging of normal and pathologic fetal brain , 1998, Child's Nervous System.

[7]  P. Sonigo,et al.  MR imaging of fetal cerebral anomalies , 1998, Pediatric Radiology.

[8]  Wei Li,et al.  Fetal central nervous system anomalies: MR imaging augments sonographic diagnosis. , 1997, Radiology.

[9]  B. Bromley,et al.  Agenesis of the corpus callosum: prenatal detection usually is not possible before 22 weeks of gestation. , 1996, Radiology.

[10]  R. Frydman,et al.  Magnetic resonance imaging of the fetus: A study of 20 cases performed without curarization , 1993, Prenatal diagnosis.

[11]  R. Goldstein,et al.  Fetal ventricle: importance in routine obstetric sonography. , 1991, Radiology.

[12]  R. Goldstein,et al.  Natural history of fetal ventriculomegaly. , 1988, Pediatrics.

[13]  P. Barnes,et al.  Colpocephaly: Frequency and Associated Findings , 1988, Journal of child neurology.

[14]  J. Herskowitz,et al.  Colpocephaly: Clinical, radiologic, and pathogenetic aspects , 1985, Neurology.

[15]  R. Powell.  Cranial sonographic findings in meningomyelocele: D. S. Babcock and B. K. Han. Am J Roentgenol 136:563–569,(March), 1981 , 1982 .

[16]  B. Garg.  Colpocephaly. An error of morphogenesis? , 1982, Archives of neurology.

[17]  D. Babcock,et al.  Caffey award: cranial sonographic findings in meningomyelocele. , 1980, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[18]  R. Zimmerman,et al.  Cranial CT findings in patients with meningomyelocele. , 1979, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[19]  P. Yakovlev,et al.  Schizencephalies; a study of the congenital clefts in the cerebral mantle; clefts with fused lips. , 1946, Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology.