Is it always possible to determine a diagnosis? Prenatal ultrasonography, post mortem magnetic resonance, autopsy.
Pathological-anatomical autopsy is the gold standard for determining of foetal abnormalities, but in some cases its role is limited (pathology of central nervous system, in particular, in case of ventricular dilatation or developed autolysis). In pathology of central nervous system, where insufficiency of autopsy can occur, additional post mortem magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is performed to determine type of malformation. In this case report, we would like to point out the fact that although all investigating methods including post mortem magnetic resonance and autopsy (incl. imunohistochemical tests) are used, this need not necessarily result in a clear diagnostic conclusion of the aborted foetus. Post mortem MRI visualized pathology: dilatation of both lateral ventricals, more in the left and, above all, a pathological focus parasagittaly on the right with haemorrhage and cystic component; it raised a suspicion on ependymoma. However imunohistochemical test did not give an unambiguous conclusion; therefore diagnosis based on MRI could not be uniquely verified.
Vaneckova
Manuela
M
Department of Radiology, General University Hospital and 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University Prague, Czech Republic. man.van@post.cz
Seidl
Zdenek
Z
Goldova
Barbara
B
Vitkova
Ivana
I
Baxova
Alice
A
Calda
Pavel
P
D037881:Aborted Fetus / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D020547:Lateral Ventricles / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009421:Nervous System Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal