Korean J Perinatol.  2008 Sep;19(3):238-247.

Significance of prenatal radiologic diagnosis of the central nervous system anomalies

• We JS
• Choi SK
• Choi JS
• Ahn HY
• Park IY
• Shin JC

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The present study compared the findings of ultrasonography and MRI in the prenatal diagnosis of congenital central nervous system anomalies and identified the merits of MRI.
METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of neonates diagnosed with congenital central nervous system anomaly after birth born at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Kangnam St. Marys Hospital during the period from January 1997 to April 2008, and compared the findings of prenatal ultrasonography and MRI with the results of postnatal diagnosis.
RESULTS
There were a total of 13 neonates postnatally diagnosed with congenital central nervous system anomaly, and 6 of them had prenatal MRI. Among them, ventriculomegaly and hydrocephalus were observed in 3 cases, arachnoid cyst in 2 cases, and megacisterna magna in 1 case. Supplementary information was available for all the 6 cases, and diagnosis based on the supplementary information was closer to postnatal diagnosis.
CONCLUSION
In fetuses in which congenital central nervous system anomaly is observed in ultrasonography, prenatal MRI can provide supplementary information and enable more accurate diagnosis. This can be helpful in counseling the guardians and deciding treatment modality.

Keyword

Ultrasonography; MRI; Prenatal diagnosis; Congenital central nervous system anomaly

MeSH Terms

Arachnoid
Central Nervous System
Counseling
Fetus
Gynecology
Humans
Hydrocephalus
Infant, Newborn
Medical Records
Obstetrics
Parturition
Prenatal Diagnosis
Retrospective Studies
Ultrasonography, Prenatal