Postmortem MR imaging of the fetal and stillborn central nervous system.
OBJECTIVE
Changes in the public perception of postmortem procedures in the United Kingdom have led to reduced numbers of autopsies being performed in the fetus and neonate. When autopsy is performed in this group, the brain is now usually studied without being formalin-fixed, which limits the available information. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of postmortem MR imaging of the fetal brain and spine when compared with the reference standard, autopsy.


METHODS
We obtained high-spatial-resolution T2-weighted images (in-plane resolution approximately 0.4 mm) of the brain and spine in 40 fetuses and stillborn neonates (14-42 weeks gestational age) who were referred for autopsy. The MR findings were compared with those of autopsy, the reference standard, which had been performed independently.


RESULTS
In eight cases, the autopsy did not provide structural information of the brain or spine, because assessment of the unfixed tissue was impossible. There was agreement between MR and autopsy findings in 31 (97%) of 32 cases in which comparison could be made. Eleven cases showed normal brain, and 20 cases showed a wide range of developmental and acquired abnormalities. The sensitivity of MR was 100%, specificity 92%, positive predictive value 95%, and negative predictive value 100%.


CONCLUSIONS
MR imaging has a useful role in providing structural information of the central nervous system in fetuses and stillborn neonates.
Griffiths
Paul D
PD
Section of Academic Radiology, University of Sheffield, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK.
Variend
Dick
D
Evans
Margaret
M
Jones
Angharad
A
Wilkinson
Iain D
ID
Paley
Martyn N J
MN
Whitby
Elspeth
E
D001344:Autopsy; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology*; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000473:pathology*; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia / Q000473:pathology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009421:Nervous System Malformations / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology*