Assessment of cortical gyrus and sulcus formation using magnetic resonance images in small-for-gestational-age fetuses.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose was to compare the development of gyrus and sulcus formation (GSF), an indicator of brain maturation, in small-for-gestational-age (SGA) fetuses using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, with those of appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) fetuses.


METHODS
The 160 infants with a normal neurological outcome were divided into two groups on the basis of their body weight at delivery; 37 SGA infants (Group SGA) and 123 AGA infants (Group AGA). Fetal MR images, which were obtained from 28 to 39 gestational weeks in Group SGA and from 18 to 39 gestational weeks in Group AGA, were classified into the 8 stages of development for GSF established by Abe et al. (2003), and comparison was made between the two groups retrospectively in their neurological development in relation to gestational age.


RESULTS
In Group SGA, images were classified into stages 3 to 8 (P < 0.001). The gestational age of the cases determined for each stage between Groups SGA and AGA did not differ significantly, with respect to the development of GSF, despite differences in fetal estimated body weights.


CONCLUSIONS
In SGA fetuses, evaluation of fetal GSF using MR images during the third trimester may be useful for predicting neurological prognoses postpartum.
Abe
Seiji
S
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan. clinic@fine.ocn.ne.jp
Takagi
Kenjiro
K
Yamamoto
Tatsuo
T
Kato
Toshinori
T
D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000196:embryology / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008499:Medical Records; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies