title: Prenatal diagnosis of a vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation with MR imaging - report of two cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vein of Galen malformations (VGMs) are rare congenital defects of cerebral vessels. They are formed between the 6(th) and 11(th) week of gestation. The background of this defect involves presence of one or more arterovenous fistulas directing bloodflow toward a persistent, dilated, proximal part of median prosencephalic vein (MProsV). Ultrasound examination is a basic test for diagnosis of VGMs. It has now become possible to acquire images of diagnostic value using magnetic resonance (MR) techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  This work presents two cases of vein of Galen aneurysms diagnosed prenatally with magnetic resonance imaging. In both patients fetal CNS malformations were diagnosed in ultrasound examinations. MR imaging of the fetal head was performed for further diagnostics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because of the ability to precisely determine the size of the ventricular system, presence of raised intraventricular pressure and topographic relationships between pathologically changed vessels and particular cerebral structures as well as the presence of ischemic areas MR examination is currently not only complementary to ultrasonography, but is becoming an independent examination method in the diagnostics of vein of Galen malformations.
authors: Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, Medical University of ŁódŸ, Barlicki University Hospital No. 1, ŁódŸ, Poland.
authors: Katarzyna
authors: K
authors: Kośla
authors: Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, Medical University of ŁódŸ, Barlicki University Hospital No. 1, ŁódŸ, Poland.
authors: Marcin
authors: M
authors: Majos
authors: Department of Angiology, Chair of Anatomy, Medical University of ŁódŸ, ŁódŸ, Poland.
authors: Michał
authors: M
authors: Polguj
authors: Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, Medical University of ŁódŸ, Barlicki University Hospital No. 1, ŁódŸ, Poland.
authors: Aneta
authors: A
authors: Antosik-Biernacka
authors: Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, Medical University of ŁódŸ, Barlicki University Hospital No. 1, ŁódŸ, Poland.
authors: Ludomir
authors: L
authors: Stefańczyk
authors: Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, Medical University of ŁódŸ, Barlicki University Hospital No. 1, ŁódŸ, Poland.
authors: Agata
authors: A
authors: Majos
keywords: MRI; median prosencephalic vein; vein of Galen malformations