Comparative Evaluation of Diagnostic Value of Prenatal USG and MRI in the Diagnosis of Fetal Central Nervous System Defects

Background/Objective: The purpose of the study was"nto compare the diagnostic values of prenatal ultrasound"nand MRI in fetal central nervous system defects."nPatients and Methods: Three-hundred eighty-five"nMRIs were performed in pregnant women with the"nultrasound suspicion of fetal defect. US was conducted"nwith the Voluson-Kretz730PRO. In 158 cases (41%)"nfetal CNS defect was found. MR was performed with the"n1.5T system, torso surface coil, SSFSET2 sequence. MR"nresults were compared with prenatal US and verified"nafter the delivery by physical tests, US, TK and surgery"nor in cases of infant death with a pathomorphological"nexamination."nResults: Of 158 infants, eight died after delivery, 93 were"nconsulted in the neurosurgical clinic, 19 underwent a"nneurosurgery treatment and the remaining seven infants'"nfate is unknown. Fetal MRI widened the pertinent US"ndiagnoses in 62%. The 100% compliance is pertained"nto hydrocephalus and anencephaly. US results failed"nin some cases of corpus callosum agenesis, aqueductal"nstenosis, intracranial cyst, holoprosencephaly,"nschizencephaly, Dandy-Walker complex, syringomyelia,"ndiplomyelia and myelomeningocele. In 15 cases, MRI"ncompletely changed the prognosis and treatment"n(holoprosencephaly, myelomeningocoele, diplomyelia,"nintracranial cyst, lung hypoplasia, urinary bladder"nagenesis-not detected during prenatal US). Postnatal"nexaminations and surgery confirmed the results of"nprenatal MRI."nConclusion: MRI compared with prenatal US proved"nbetter effectiveness in imaging of fetal CNS defects,"nespecially in the imaging of the posterior fossa structures,"nthe ventricular system, the corpus callosum, the"nevaluation of meningocoele contents and the complex"nmalformations of the central nervous system.