title: Prenatal brain imaging in congenital toxoplasmosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe brain imaging findings and outcomes in fetuses with confirmed congenital toxoplasmosis (CTX).
  
  
  METHODS
  Physicians from Prenatal Diagnosis Units in ten Latin American countries were contacted and asked to provide data on fetuses with ultrasound findings suggestive of intrauterine infection and a positive diagnosis of CTX. The imaging studies were reviewed, and findings were described and tabulated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intracranial findings suggestive of CTX were identified in eight patients at a median gestational age of 31.5 weeks (range, 24.4-34 weeks). Ventriculomegaly was found in seven patients [severe (3), mild (4)]. Multiple echogenic nodular foci consistent with calcifications were found in seven patients [brain parenchyma (7), periventricular zone (3) and caudothalamic zone (3)]. Diffuse periventricular echogenicity or cysts were seen in three and callosal dysgenesis in one. All six survivors have choroidoretinitis and intracranial calcifications, four suffer from developmental delay and three of these four children also suffer from seizures and blindness. Postnatal hydrocephaly was found in five children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ventriculomegaly associated with multiple echo-dense nodules is characteristic of severe fetal toxoplasmosis and carries a poor prognosis. When the ventricles have normal size or are only mildly dilated, the nodules restricted to the parenchyma development may be normal.
authors.affiliation: Fetal Neurology Clinic, Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel. gmalinger@gmail.com
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Malinger
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rodriguez Leonel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rebolledo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duque
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mizyrycki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lerman-Sagie
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Herrera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology* / Q000473:pathology*; D004453:Echoencephalography; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D007843:Latin America; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D014125:Toxoplasmosis, Congenital / Q000196:embryology* / Q000473:pathology*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal