title: Implementation of genomic arrays in prenatal diagnosis: the Belgian approach to meet the challenges.
abstract: After their successful introduction in postnatal testing, genome-wide arrays are now rapidly replacing conventional karyotyping in prenatal diagnostics. While previous studies have demonstrated the advantages of this method, we are confronted with difficulties regarding the technology and the ethical dilemmas inherent to genomic arrays. These include indication for testing, array design, interpretation of variants and how to deal with variants of unknown significance and incidental findings. The experiences with these issues reported in the literature are most often from single centres. Here, we report on a national consensus approach how microarray is implemented in all genetic centres in Belgium. These recommendations are subjected to constant re-evaluation based on our growing experience and can serve as a useful tool for those involved in prenatal diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Universiteit Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vanakker
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors.forename: Catheline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vilain
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Universiteit Antwerpen, Belgium.
authors.forename: Katrien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Universiteit Antwerpen, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Van der Aa
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Smits
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium.
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bandelier
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Universiteit Antwerpen, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Blaumeiser
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Université de Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Saskia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bulk
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Université de Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Hubert
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Caberg
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Leener
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marjan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Rademaeker
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Thomy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: de Ravel
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, IPG, Charleroi Gosselies, Belgium.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Desir
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, IPG, Charleroi Gosselies, Belgium.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Destree
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Universiteit Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Annelies
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dheedene
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Université de Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gaillez
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, IPG, Charleroi Gosselies, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grisart
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Université de Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ann-Cécile
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Hellin
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Universiteit Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kathelijn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Keymolen
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Universiteit Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Menten
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pichon
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ravoet
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Revencu
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, IPG, Charleroi Gosselies, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rombout
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Staessens
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van Den Bogaert
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kris
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van Den Bogaert
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Joris R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Vermeesch
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Universiteit Antwerpen, Belgium.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kooy
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium.
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sznajer
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: koenraad.devriendt@uzleuven.be.
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Devriendt
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D055028:Comparative Genomic Hybridization / Q000379:methods*; D032921:Consensus; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Copy number variant; Guidelines; Incidental finding; Prenatal diagnosis; Prenatal microarray; Variant of unknown significance