Choroid plexus cysts do not affect fetal neurodevelopment.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether an isolated finding of a choroid plexus cyst (CPC) during routine ultrasound is associated with altered fetal growth or development.


METHODS
Prospective, case-control study comparing 35 CPC cases to 67 controls. Neurobehavioral development assessment included 50 min long serial recordings of heart rate, motor activity and their interrelation at 24, 28, 32 and 36 weeks gestation. Growth measurement was based on three ultrasound evaluations of femur length, biparietal diameter, head circumference and abdominal circumference at initial exam, 28 and 36 weeks.


RESULTS
Longitudinal analyses revealed no differences in fetal heart rate, variability or accelerations; the number or duration of fetal movements or total motor activity; nor fetal movement-fetal heart rate coupling. CPC cases had slightly smaller head and abdominal circumferences at 28 weeks, but these differences had disappeared by 36 weeks. CPC detection was more common when routine exams were conducted earlier (18.8 versus 19.5 weeks; P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the presumption that CPCs with normal karyotypes are benign variants, little empirical support exists. These results indicate that CPCs detected by prenatal ultrasound do not pose or reveal a threat to fetal development.
DiPietro
J A
JA
Department of Population and Family Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. jdipietr@jhsph.edu
Costigan
K A
KA
Cristofalo
E A
EA
Lu
Y
Y
Bird
C W
CW
McShane
C A
CA
Crino
J
J
D000328:Adult; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002831:Choroid Plexus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003560:Cysts / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011379:Prognosis; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal