Prenatal diagnosis of craniosynostosis: value of MR imaging.
BACKGROUND
The aim of our study was to assess the utility and reliability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in antenatal diagnosis of craniosynostosis.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the MRI examinations of the head of 15 fetuses requested over a period of 11 years on the basis of sonographic suspicion of craniosynostosis. The postnatal diagnosis was available for 14 neonates.


RESULTS
No termination of pregnancy was performed. There were four neonates with sporadic multisuture craniosynostoses, three of which were syndromic, including one Crouzon and one Pfeiffer syndrome. Eight neonates were normal, two showed cranial vault deformities without synostosis, and one was lost to follow-up. MRI showed a high predictive value for craniosynostosis, as there were no false-negative or false-positive diagnoses. However, the severity of the abnormalities were underestimated in two neonates.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that prenatal MRI has diagnostic value when synostosis is suspected on ultrasonography. Moreover, MRI is accurate in the detection of associated brain abnormalities, which is an important prognostic issue in this diagnosis. Prenatal diagnosis of craniosynostosis is difficult and could benefit from three-dimensional ultrasonography and three-dimensional CT.
Fjørtoft
M Irsutti
MI
Service de Neuroradiologie Diagnostique et Thérapeutique, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Purpan, Place du Dr Baylac, F-31059, Toulouse Cedex 9, France. fjortoft.m@chu-toulouse.fr
Sevely
A
A
Boetto
S
S
Kessler
S
S
Sarramon
M F
MF
Rolland
M
M
D003398:Craniosynostoses / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results