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Methods In this cross-sectional study, we used three-dimensional (3D) sonographic multiplanar reformatting (3D-MPR) mode to measure the frontal lobe size in 77 normal fetuses of low-risk singleton pregnancies between 24-34 weeks of gestation. To develop reference ranges for sonographic measurements of normal fetal frontal lobe (FL) along latter half of pregnancy, performed in a standard coronal plane. The reference charts were applied to the frontal lobe parameters of 15 fetuses with sonographic diagnosis of malformation of cortical development (MCD) affecting frontal lobe size, confirmed by MRI or autopsy. [Extracted from the article]

ABSTRACT Objective Periventricular pseudocysts (PVPC) are diagnosed in approximately 1% of premature newborns that undergo brain sonography during the first 24 h of life. These pseudocysts are thought to develop antenatally due to germinal matrix hemorrhage, but have not been described until now in prenatal ultrasound studies. The aim of this study was to report the identification, differential diagnosis, and prognosis of PVPC detected by prenatal ultrasound examination. Design Between 1997 and 2001 we made an ultrasound diagnosis of PVPC in 11 fetuses. In nine fetuses the findings were characteristic of PVPC and these patients represent our study group. Fetal magnetic resonance imaging was performed in five patients. Termination of pregnancy was carried out in three patients, in one case intrauterine fetal death occurred at 31 weeks, and one infant died in the neonatal period. The surviving four newborns are being followed in the pediatric neurology clinic. Results PVPC were diagnosed by ultrasound scan in fetuses between 16 and 37 weeks of gestation (mean, 29.7 weeks). Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the presence of PVPC in two cases. In eight cases the pseudocysts were unilateral and in one case bilateral. They were an isolated finding in five patients. Four of these fetuses were delivered at term and have normal neurological development at ages ranging from 6 to 25 months. All fetuses with additional pathologies (coarctation of the aorta, hemimegalencephaly, cytomegalovirus infection, hypoplasia of the vermis with dysmorphism) did not survive. Conclusions The prenatal diagnosis of PVPC warrants an extensive search for possible associated pathological findings. As an isolated finding, antenatal PVPC seem to carry a good prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OC03.07: Prenatal diagnosis of malformations of cortical development associated to midbrain-hindbrain anomalies The aim of this study was to describe the prenatal neuroimaging features of MCD in fetuses with MB-HB anomalies. The present study is the first large series to demonstrate the common association between supratentorial malformations and MH-HB anomalies in fetuses, denoting an impairment of concurrent developmental brain processes. [Extracted from the article]

Mutations of genes encoding tubulin are known to cause epilepsy, developmental delay and brain anomalies. The aim of this study was to describe the prenatal neuroimaging findings of patients with a TUBB3 mutation. [Extracted from the article]