Magnetic resonance imaging for detection of brain abnormalities in fetuses with cleft lip and/or cleft palate.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of brain abnormalities identified by prenatal imaging of fetuses with cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) or cleft palate only (CP) and to compare with postnatal imaging and neurologic evaluation.


METHODS
This was a retrospective review of radiologic images (magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] and sonography) of fetuses diagnosed with CL/P or CP at the Advanced Fetal Care Center at Children's Hospital Boston between 2002 and 2008. Images were reviewed for possible brain abnormalities by a pediatric radiologist who specializes in this field. Postnatal imaging was also assessed whenever available and correlated with clinical findings.


METHODS
A large, tertiary-care, academic pediatric hospital.


METHODS
One hundred twenty-six fetuses and 105 corresponding infants.


RESULTS
Brain abnormalities were found in 8 of 126 fetuses (6.3%) by prenatal MRI. The malformations were corpus callosal dysgenesis (n = 3), encephalocele (n = 1), hypoplasia of the cerebellar hemispheres or vermis (n = 3), and white matter neuronal migration anomaly (n = 1). An additional 2 patients were diagnosed with brain abnormalities postnatally that had not been detected on prenatal imaging.


CONCLUSIONS
The possibility of brain anomalies should be assessed in a fetus found to have CL/P or CP by sonography and/or MRI. Central nervous system imaging and careful neurodevelopmental follow-up is indicated in these infants.
Rosen
Heather
H
Chiou
Grace J
GJ
Stoler
Joan M
JM
Mulliken
John B
JB
Tarui
Tomo
T
Meara
John G
JG
Estroff
Judy A
JA
D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities*; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000196:embryology*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000196:embryology*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000002:abnormalities*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal