title: Detection of fetal central nervous system anomalies: a practical level of effort for a routine sonogram.
abstract: To evaluate the efficacy of examining the lateral ventricular atrium, cisterna magna, and cavum septi pellucidi as a means of ascertaining that the development of the fetal central nervous system (CNS) is normal, a retrospective evaluation of the sonograms of 112 fetuses (15-39 weeks gestational age) with sonographically diagnosed CNS anomalies was performed. Malformations included in the study were diverse. The lateral ventricular atrium was enlarged (greater than 10 mm) in 99 (88%) fetuses. Of the remaining 13 fetuses, seven had an abnormal-sized cisterna magna (less than 2 mm or greater than 11 mm). These two measurements alone could be used to identify the presence of a CNS abnormality in 95%. Three of the six remaining fetuses exhibited gross abnormalities easily seen on the standard axial images obtained for biparietal diameter measurement. Although the cavum septi pellucidi was absent in a number of cases, its absence did not enhance sensitivity in the cohort examined. Prospective examination of 130 consecutive normal fetuses (15-40 weeks gestational age) was also performed. When specifically sought, the ventricular atrium was identifiable and measurable 99% of the time; the cisterna magna, 90% of the time; and the cavum septi pellucidi, 95% of the time. Because major CNS anomalies are uncommon and these measurements afford high sensitivity, an extremely low probability (0.005%) of abnormal brain or spinal cord development can be predicted if a normal-sized lateral ventricular atrium and cisterna magna are present. These results should not be construed as a license to underexamine fetuses for malformations. Rather, these measurements should serve as simple positive steps to assist in a difficult task.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco 94143-0628.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Filly
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Cardoza
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Barkovich
mesh_terms: D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000002:abnormalities*; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D002946:Cisterna Magna / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012688:Septum Pellucidum / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography