Fetal brain tumors: Prenatal diagnosis by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging.

Congenital central nervous system tumors diagnosed during pregnancy are rare, and often have a poor prognosis. The most frequent type is the teratoma. Use of ultrasound and magnetic resonance image allows the suspicion of brain tumors during pregnancy.

Reference ranges for fetal brain fissure development on 3-dimensional sonography in the multiplanar mode.

Objectives: To determine reference ranges for measurements of fetal cerebral fissures by 3-dimensional (3D) sonography in the multiplanar mode and to evaluate the reliability and concordance of these measurements.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 393 women with normal pregnancies at 22 weeks to 33 weeks 6 days. The distances between the internal bone plate of the fetal calvaria and the sylvian, parieto-occipital, hippocampal, and calcarine fissures were assessed.

Prenatal diagnosis of bilateral anophthalmia by 3D "reverse face" view ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging.

Objective: Primary anophthalmia is a rare congenital malformation that affects 0.6/10,000 liveborn infants. It is usually associated with central nervous system malformations, aneuploidies, cytomegalovirus infection and mental retardation and it can also be part of genetic conditions such as Fraser, Goltz, Goldenhar, Waardenburg and Lenz syndromes.

Comparison between 2D ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging for assessing brain and spine parameters in fetuses with spina bifida.

Purpose: To compare two-dimensional ultrasonography (2DUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for assessing brain and spine parameters in fetuses with spina bifida.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 15 fetuses with spina bifida (one with encephalocele, four with rachischisis and 10 with myelomeningocele). The size of the atrium of the lateral ventricle, percentage shortening of the cerebellum, degree of compromising of the first vertebra and total number of vertebras affected by herniation were assessed.

Development of fetal brain sulci and gyri: assessment through two and three-dimensional ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Cerebral malformations may lead to permanent postnatal sequels. The antenatal detection of anomalous or absent fetal sulci and gyri may indicate abnormal brain development and future neurological and psychomotor problems in that infant. The prenatal diagnosis of these conditions allows genetic counseling, psychological support of the parents and optimization of obstetric management.

Morphological evaluation of lateral ventricles of fetuses with ventriculomegaly by three-dimensional ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging: correlation with etiology.

Purpose: To evaluate morphology of lateral ventricles of ventriculomegaly/hydrocephaly fetuses using 3D-sonography by virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCAL) technique and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and verify morphologic patterns related to etiology.

Methods: Seventeen fetuses presenting with ventricular enlargement (atria > 10 mm) were evaluated. 3D datasets were acquired from a coronal reference plane and post-processed by the rotational imaging using VOCAL 30°.

Fetal lung volume in fetuses with urinary tract malformations: comparison by 2D-, 3D-sonography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Objective: To evaluate the concordance between two-dimensional ultrasonography (2DUS), three-dimensional ultrasonography (3DUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the assessment of lung volume in fetuses with urinary tract malformations (UTM).

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 12 pregnancies between 19 and 34 weeks, with various fetal UTM. Pulmonary volume was obtained by 2DUS using the following equation: total lung volume = [right lung antero-posterior diameter (X) x transverse diameter (Y) x cranial-caudal diameter x 0.