title: Diagnostic Value of Prenatal MR Imaging in the Detection of Brain Malformations in Fetuses before the 26th Week of Gestational Age.
abstract: In several countries, laws and regulations allow abortion for medical reasons within 24-25 weeks of gestational age. We investigated the diagnostic value of prenatal MR imaging for brain malformations within 25 weeks of gestational age.
  
  
  
  We retrospectively included fetuses within 25 weeks of gestational age who had undergone both prenatal and postnatal MR imaging of the brain between 2002 and 2014. Two senior pediatric neuroradiologists evaluated prenatal MR imaging examinations blinded to postnatal MR imaging findings. With postnatal MR imaging used as the reference standard, we calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the prenatal MR imaging in detecting brain malformations.
  
  
  
  One-hundred nine fetuses (median gestational age at prenatal MR imaging: 22 weeks; range, 21-25 weeks) were included in this study. According to the reference standard, 111 malformations were detected. Prenatal MR imaging failed to detect correctly 11 of the 111 malformations: 3 midline malformations, 5 disorders of cortical development, 2 posterior fossa anomalies, and 1 vascular malformation. Prenatal MR imaging misdiagnosed 3 findings as pathologic in the posterior fossa.
  
  
  
  The diagnostic value of prenatal MR imaging between 21 and 25 weeks' gestational age is very high, with limitations of sensitivity regarding the detection of disorders of cortical development.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology and Neuroradiology (G.C., C.P., C.C., G.I., A.R.) Department of Health Sciences (G.C.), University of Milan, Milan, Italy giorgioconte.unimed@gmail.com.
authors.forename: G
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1562-7389
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology and Neuroradiology (G.C., C.P., C.C., G.I., A.R.).
authors.forename: C
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0364-8673
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Parazzini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biopathology and Medical and Forensic Biotechnologies (G.F.), Section of Radiological Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0008-7906
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Falanga
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology and Neuroradiology (G.C., C.P., C.C., G.I., A.R.).
authors.forename: C
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6819-0846
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cesaretti
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology and Neuroradiology (G.C., C.P., C.C., G.I., A.R.).
authors.forename: G
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6407-7950
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Izzo
authors.affiliation: Gynecology and Obstetrics (M.R.), Children's Hospital Vittore Buzzi, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5760-5081
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rustico
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Radiology and Neuroradiology (G.C., C.P., C.C., G.I., A.R.).
authors.forename: A
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3396-7413
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Righini
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity