title: Prenatal imaging of occipital encephaloceles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This retrospective study aims to describe systematically the fetal cerebral MR morphology in cases with occipital meningoencephaloceles using standard and advanced fetal MRI techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 1.5-tesla MR examinations (T1- and T2-weighted imaging, echo planar imaging, EPI, diffusion-weighted imaging, DWI) of 14 fetuses with occipital/parietal meningoencephaloceles were retrospectively analyzed for the classification of anatomic characteristics. A diffusion tensor sequence was performed in 5 cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 9/14 cases the occipital lobes were entirely or partially included in the encephalocele sac. Typical features of Chiari III malformation were seen in 6/14 cases. The displaced brain appeared grossly disorganized in 6/14. The brainstem displayed abnormal 'kinking'/rotation (3/14), a z-shape (1/14) and/or a molar tooth-like configuration of the midbrain (3/14). Tractography revealed the presence and position of sensorimotor tracts in 5/5 and the corpus callosum in 3/5. DWI was helpful in the identification of a displaced brain (in 8/9). EPI visualized the anatomy of draining cerebral veins in 7/9 cases. Clinical (9/14) and MRI (7/14) follow-up data are presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Encephaloceles show a wide range of morphological heterogeneity. Fetal MRI serves as an accurate tool in the visualization of brainstem, white matter pathway and cerebral venous involvement and facilitates the detection of specific underlying syndromes such as ciliopathies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Gregor J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Kasprian
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Paldino
authors.forename: Amy R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Mehollin-Ray
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shetty
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Wesley
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chris I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Cassady
mesh_terms: D054022:Cerebrum / Q000473:pathology*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D004677:Encephalocele / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies