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Journal of Perinatology (2019) 39:1072–1077 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-019-0407-9

ARTICLE

Fetal MRI findings and neonatal outcome of common diagnosis at a tertiary care center

1,2 3,4 4,5 4,5 1,4 Monica S. Arroyo ● Robert J. Hopkin ● Usha D. Nagaraj ● Beth Kline-Fath ● Charu Venkatesan

Received: 23 January 2019 / Revised: 10 April 2019 / Accepted: 10 May 2019 / Published online: 18 June 2019 © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc. 2019

Abstract: Fetal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is increasingly used in prenatal evaluations. Objective: Identify common brain malformations on fetal MRI and evaluate perinatal course. Methods: Fetal consultations from 10/2016 to 12/2017 reviewed. Results: Hundred consultations were requested; 94 were completed. Findings included: posterior fossa malformations (19%), agenesis/dysgenesis of corpus callosum (15%), congenital aqueductal stenosis (CAS) (14%), (11%), isolated cortical malformations (8.5%), and (6%). Posterior fossa malformations were more likely to be associated with genetic conditions and cardiac malformations. Patients with CAS all required intensive care unit

1234567890();,: 1234567890();,: admission. Overall, few patients with congenital brain malformations required feeding or respiratory support at discharge. None had as neonates except two with early epileptic . Conclusions: Even though long term neurological prognosis is poor for many conditions including high lifetime risk of , most are discharged with no feeding or respiratory support. Seizures are rarely seen in the neonatal period.

Introduction with prenatally diagnosed CNS malformations. Most stu- dies to date have focused on long term outcome of patients Routine prenatal care includes surveillance for fetal ana- with congenital brain malformations. The purpose of this tomic malformations using ultrasound. Abnormalities study was to review fetal consultations at a large detected via ultrasound often prompt a referral for a fetal tertiary medical center with a dedicated Fetal Care Center to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study, which can help evaluate the perinatal outcome and neonatal course of clarify diagnosis [1–3]. Central malforma- commonly encountered malformations. This information tions (CNS) account for a large proportion of consultations. can guide family and providers in planning delivery In order to facilitate accurate prognostication, it is important and care in the immediate neonatal period. to study both perinatal and long term outcomes of patients Methods

* Charu Venkatesan We conducted a retrospective chart review of all fetal [email protected] neurology consultations performed from 10/2016 to 12/ 1 Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, 2017 under Institutional Review Board approval Cincinnati, OH, USA (2018–1800). Nearly all fetal MRI scans were performed on 2 Division of Pediatric Neurology, Joe DiMaggio Children’s 1.5 Tesla on site clinical magnets (GE Healthcare, Philips Hospital, Hollywood, CA, USA Healthcare) and were interpreted by one of 4 board certified 3 Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, pediatric radiologists with sub-specialty practice in fetal Cincinnati, OH, USA imaging. A routinely implemented fetal brain MRI protocol 4 Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of was implemented for which the majority of scan time was Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA focused on acquiring T2-single shot fast spin echo images 5 Division of Radiology and Medical Imaging, Cincinnati of the brain in three orthogonal planes, each repeated at Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA least once to the radiologists’ satisfaction. Maternal and Fetal brain MRI findings and neonatal outcome of common diagnosis at a tertiary care center 1073 neonatal charts were reviewed for clinical and demographic Table 1 Summary of common brain malformations on fetal MRI information. Posterior fossa malformations (n = 18) Dandy–Walker Malformation (n = 4) vermian hypoplasia (n = 3) Results Chiari III malformation (n = 2) with mild ventriculomegaly (n = 1) suboccipital meningocele (n = 1) In the study time frame of 14 months, 100 neurology con- mega cisterna magna (n = 1) sults were requested. Six were cancelled (4 normal MRI; 1 pontocerebellar hypoplasia (n = 1) fetal demise prior to meeting; 1 scheduling conflict); with Chiari II malformation (n = 1) 94 consults completed for review. The average maternal age Blake pouch remnant (n = 1) Joubert (n = 2) was 27.7 years. The majority of the patients (68%) reported **Termination of (Joubert syndrome, Dandy–walker no pregnancy complications. Substance use was noted in malformation) (n = 1) 16%, hypertension in 12%, and diabetes in 6%. Amnio- Agenesis/dysgenesis of corpus callosum (n = 14) centesis was performed in 34% of patients. There were nine Agenesis of corpus callosum (n = 11) sets of twins in the cohort but only one set had CNS Dysgenesis of corpus callsoum (n = 3) abnormalities in both fetuses. Congenital aqueductal stenosis (n = 13) were classified according to primary malforma- Ventriculomegaly without aqueductal stenosis (n = 11) tion identified in fetal MRI. The most common findings n = were: posterior fossa malformations (19%), agenesis/dys- Mild ( 6) Moderate (n = 3) genesis of corpus callosum (15%), congenital aqueductal Severe (n = 2) stenosis (14%), ventriculomegaly without aqueductal ste- Isolated cortical malformations (n = 8) nosis (11%), isolated cortical malformations (8.5%), and Holoprosencephaly (n = 6) holoprosencephaly (6%) (Table 1). When compared to post- alobar (1) natal findings, the primary fetal diagnostic classification semi-lobar (2) remained unchanged in 98% of cases. In one case, diagnosis lobar (2) changed from meningocele prenatally (34 4/7 weeks) to middle hemispheric variant (1) postnatally. One patient was diagnosed with severe ventriculomegaly suggestive of aqueductal stenosis at 21 3/7 weeks gestation. However, postnatally, images showed mild ventriculomegaly with narrowing of the ven- patient with vermian hypoplasia and Down’s syndrome in a tral cerebral aqueduct and hypogenesis of the corpus cal- patient with Dandy–Walker continuum. losum. Minor changes that did not alter the fetal finding and Two families opted for palliative care and both babies counseling were noted on post-natal imaging; these inclu- died a few hours after : one fetus was diagnosed with ded evolution of intracranial injury and detection of addi- pontocerebellar hypoplasia and another one was diagnosed tional intracranial abnormalities such as cortical with Dandy–Walker spectrum and . malformations (most commonly, heterotopias). Of the remaining 15 infants, 67% were born at term. Only three patients required intubation in the delivery room, with Posterior fossa malformations two patients having genetically confirmed CHARGE syn- drome (, heart defects, , mental A total of 18 patients had posterior fossa malformations retardation, genital hypoplasia, and ear abnormalities) and a (Table 1). One pregnancy with diagnoses of Joubert syn- third patient with Chiari III malformation and micrognathia. drome, Dandy–Walker malformation and polycystic kid- Thirteen out of 15 patients were admitted to the ICU and the neys was terminated, resulting in 17 live . The more average ICU stay was 26 days. Four patients had cardiac commonly seen diagnoses included Dandy–Walker Mal- anomalies including coarctation of the aorta, CHARGE formation (n = 4) (Fig. 1a), vermian hypoplasia (n = 3) and syndrome and a mitral valve cleft. Both patients diagnosed Chiari III malformation (n = 2); other diagnoses included with CHARGE syndrome died in the ICU after four days rhombencephalosynapsis with mild ventriculomegaly, sub- of life. occipital meningocele, mega cisterna magna, pontocer- In terms of respiratory support, one of the patients with ebellar hypoplasia, Chiari II malformation, Blake pouch Chiari III malformation required tracheostomy tube place- remnant, and Joubert syndrome (Table 1). Seven patients ment. One patient with Joubert syndrome required oxygen had post-natal genetic testing (four had microarray, two had at discharge for apnea. Longer term feeding assistance was analysis and one had Joubert panel analysis). required in three patients: one born prematurely with This confirmed a diagnosis of Turner’s syndrome in a Dandy–Walker malformation and coarctation of the aorta 1074 M. S. Arroyo et al.

Fig. 1 a Sagittal T2-SSFSE image from fetal MRI of a 21 week 4 days secondary to Aqueductal Stenosis. d Axial FIESTA/bFFE image from gestational age fetus with posterior fossa findings consistent with fetal MRI of a 27 week 3 days gestational age fetus with mild Ven- Dandy–Walker malformation with associated obstructive hydro- triculomegaly of the lateral ventricles, without other structural brain cephalus. b Sagittal FIESTA/bFFE image from fetal MRI of a abnormalities identified. e Axial T2-SSFSE image from fetal MRI of a 34 weeks gestational age fetus with complete Agenesis of the Corpus 20 weeks gestational age fetus with left . f Axial Callosum. c Sagittal FIESTA/bFFE image from fetal MRI of a T2-SSFSE image from a fetal MRI of a 25 weeks 1 day gestational age 26 weeks gestational age fetus with obstructive fetus with alobar Holoprosencephaly with an associated dorsal cyst

and both patients with Chiari III malformation. The rest them required G-tube. This patient passed away at were discharged on full oral feeds and have not yet required 4 months for unknown reasons. Only one baby required any additional feeding assistance, with ages ranging oxygen nasal cannula support at discharge for obstructive 1–13 months. sleep apnea.

Congenital aqueductal stenosis Ventriculomegaly without aqueductal stenosis

A total of 13 fetuses were diagnosed with congenital A total of 11 fetuses had isolated ventriculomegaly, which aqueductal stenosis (Fig. 1c) (Table 1). Two also had was classified as mild in 6/11 (10–12 mm; Fig. 1d), mod- rhombencephalosynapsis. Seven mothers underwent erate in 3/11 (>12–15 mm; two were twins) and severe in 2/ amniocentesis and three had sampling of free fetal DNA 11 (>15 mm) (Table 1). There were no pregnancy termi- with one diagnosis of 21; this fetus had in utero nations. Postnatal information was missing on one baby; demise at 23 weeks. Two were terminated and 50% of infants were born via cesarean section. No patients one baby was lost to follow up. Neonatal course was required intubation at delivery. Only three patients required available for nine babies for review. ICU stay: one for complex cardiac malformation and two All nine were born after 37 weeks and none required for respiratory causes (one for 2 days and one for 15 days). intubation in the delivery room. All required ICU stay The patient with the cardiac malformation passed away in with an average duration of 30 days. Seven patients the ICU. None of the surviving patients in the cohort required placement of intracranial shunt in the ICU. One required respiratory or feeding support at discharge. patient showed resolution of ventriculomegaly on post- natal MRI. An additional patient required a shunt at Agenesis of the corpus callosum spectrum 3 months of age. No patients had seizures in the neonatal period. Two of the five males had L1CAM mutation There were 14 fetal consults for agenesis or dysgenesis of the detected post-natally and both of these patients had corpus callosum (Fig. 1b) (Table 1). Eleven out of fourteen adducted thumbs seen on fetal MRI. No additional patients had complete agenesis of the corpus callosum genetic syndromes were identified. Three patients were (AgCC) while three had dysgenesis of the CC. Of the 11 discharged with NG feeding and eventually only one of patients with AgCC, five had isolated AgCC while the Fetal brain MRI findings and neonatal outcome of common diagnosis at a tertiary care center 1075 remainder had other accompanying intracranial malforma- Seizures in the neonatal period tions. Among the three patients with callosal dysgenesis, one was later diagnosed with clinically. Another Patients with the most commonly seen diagnoses (posterior patient with callosal dysgenesis had a large deletion of chro- fossa malformations, venticulomegaly with or without mosome 18 discovered on prenatal amniocentesis with kidney aqueductal stenosis, agenesis of the corpus callosum) did and cardiac involvement; this baby passed away at 4 months not have clinical seizures in the neonatal period. Decision to of age. There were no pregnancy terminations. Detailed post- perform EEG was based on clinical indication by treating natal course was available for 11 patients. Seven babies were physician. EEG studies were available for 13 patients. In admitted to the ICU and five of these admissions lasted less our study, only two patients had seizures in the neonatal than 5 days. Two babies were admitted for ~3 months; one period. The first was a patient with and sim- had the large deletion of chromosome 18 and the other patient plified gyral pattern who was found to harbor a FOXG1 had accompanying left . This latter mutation post-natally; he developed seizures within the first required prolonged hospitalization for feeding support; week of life while admitted to the NICU for respiratory he was able to feed orally within the first year of life and G- issues due to choanal atresia. The second patient had tube was removed. None of the surviving patients required hemimegalencephaly (Fig. 1e) in the setting of an over- respiratory support at discharge. No patient has required growth syndrome suspected to be a PIK3CA-related over- treatment for endocrine deficiency (infants between 10 days growth spectrum disorder; she had intractable seizures in and 15 months). the NICU.

Holoprosencephaly Discussion Six patients were diagnosed with holoprosencephaly (HPE) on fetal imaging (Table 1). One had alobar (Fig. 1f), two MRI is increasingly used in the evaluation of CNS had semi-lobar, two had lobar and 1 had middle hemi- anomalies in the fetus. Sub-specialists including neonatol- spheric variant. All underwent some type of prenatal genetic ogists, obstetricians, neurologists and geneticists are asked testing; two had free fetal DNA analysis (normal) and four to provide short and long term prognostic information to had amniocentesis (three had normal FISH and microarray; families. A large study comparing 242 fetal ultrasound and one was noted to have a deletion of a portion of chromo- fetal MRI studies showed that MR imaging changed diag- some 13). Postnatal testing confirmed a deletion in 13q32.2- nosis in about 32% of patients [4]. Large multicenter trials q34, which includes the ZIC2 . This gene abnormality have shown that fetal MRI can have a diagnostic accuracy is associated with microcephaly and complex brain mal- of 93% while ultrasound was found to have an accuracy of formations, including middle interhemispheric fusion and 68%. [5] Additionally, it has been shown that women who posterior encephalocele. undergo fetal MRI found the study to be valuable with 95% The patient with alobar HPE was discharged home with reporting that they would undergo fetal MRI if a future NG feeding after a 13 day stay and was transitioned to full pregnancy was noted to have a central nervous system oral feeding at home. She is 7 months of age presently and abnormality [5]. has not required placement of intraventricular shunt or There are currently limited data on the immediate peri- respiratory support. Endocrine evaluation has been unre- natal and neonatal outcomes of these patients, which makes markable thus far. One patient with semi-lobar HPE had counseling inherently challenging. In order to optimize care significant cardiac anomalies and died in the cardiac ICU at and provide a more accurate clinical picture to families, we 5 days of life after family elected palliative/comfort care. The wanted to explore the immediate neonatal outcome of other patient with semi-lobar holoprosencephaly had multi- babies with prenatally diagnosed brain anomalies. This ple facial anomalies including bilateral cleft and palate; information can assist providers in delivery planning (e.g. this patient had placement of G-tube and tracheostomy tube need for transfer to higher level of ICU care after birth) and during a NICU stay of 30 days. One patient with lobar HPE families’ expectations after birth. was found to have Cornelia de Lange syndrome and preg- In our retrospective study of fetal consultations, diag- nancy was terminated. Post-natal information was missing nosis was accurate and remained unchanged post-natally in for the second patient with lobar holoprosencephaly. Lastly, 98% of patients. As expected, post- natal MRI identified the patient with the middle hemispheric variant form of additional foci of cortical malformations or progression of holoprosencephaly and large deletion in chromosome 13q vascular injury, but these findings did not change the clin- had ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement at about 5 weeks of ical implications that had already been discussed during age following discharge from the NICU and he has not fetal counseling. There were 2 cases in which the diagnosis required external feeding or respiratory assistance. significantly changed between the fetal MRI and the post- 1076 M. S. Arroyo et al. natal MRI. One fetus was diagnosed with severe ven- association between cardiac malformations and these triculomegaly at 21 3/7 weeks gestation and post-natal genetic syndromes has been well described [6]. A published imaging showed only mild ventriculomegaly and a nar- cohort of 24 patients with Dandy–Walker malformation rowed ventral aspect of the cerebral aqueduct. It is possible found cardiac malformations in 44% of patients [7]. Our that the degree of narrowing changed in a favorable manner study suggests that given the high rate of systemic com- in subsequent weeks of gestation to allow for adequate CSF plications accompanying posterior fossa malformations, flow; thus post-natal imaging reflected this positive struc- these babies should be delivered in hospitals with NICU tural change. Another fetus was diagnosed with meningo- capability to provide supportive care and engage in addi- cele pre-natally that was post-natally found to be an tional investigations and subspecialists. Interestingly, the encephalocele. It is possible that the brain herniated further vast majority of surviving patients did not require respira- into the cavity through pregnancy. There are limitations to tory or feeding support at discharge. prenatal imaging and the possible presence of brain tissue Congenital aqueductal stenosis was diagnosed in 15% of within the cyst should always be discussed in fetal patients. Despite significant ventriculomegaly noted on fetal counseling. MRI in patients with congenital aqueductal stenosis, all of Based on our findings, we recommend postnatal MRI in the patients were born at term gestation and none required the neonatal period when potential neurosurgical interven- intubation in the delivery room. However, majority had tion is anticipated (e.g congenital aqueductal stenosis, shunts placed in the neonatal period. Therefore, it is Dandy–Walker malformation, holoprosencephaly, moderate important for these babies to be delivered at a site where or severe ventriculomegaly). Patients with mild ven- neurosurgical consultation services are readily available. triculomegaly may be followed by ultrasound initially. Despite the striking imaging findings that can alarm MRI can be performed more urgently if clinical concerns families, only one infant required oxygen via nasal canula at about unexpected head growth occur. In patients with discharge for obstructive sleep apnea and one infant identified or suspected cortical malformations, imaging can required longer term feeding assistance via G-tube. be deferred until they are over 15 months of age when There were 6 patients with a diagnosis of holopro- myelination is more optimal to allow for detailed imaging sencephaly. Classification of HPE is based on the degree of unless unexpected clinical concerns arise. A similar separation of the cerebral hemispheres; these include alobar, approach can also be used for patients with callosal agen- semi-lobar, lobar and middle interhemispheric variant, [8] esis/dysgenesis without intracranial cysts. outcome is worst for alobar HPE and carries a high mor- Overall, seizures occurred rarely in the neonatal period. tality rate [8, 9]. HPE is also associated with chromosomal In fact, in our study cohort, only two patients had seizures in anomalies and systemic complications [8, 10, 11]. In our the neonatal period. The first patient had microcephaly and study, neonatal outcome was determined by accompanying cortical malformation due to FOXG1 mutation. The second malformations. Our experience suggests that during fetal patient had hemimegalencephaly in the setting of an over- counseling, it is important to emphasize that even patients growth syndrome. Both conditions are associated with an with alobar holoproscencephaly can survive the neonatal epileptic encephalopathy phenotype and carry a high risk of period with minimal support. Given the very poor long term neonatal seizures. Thus, while there is a very high lifetime prognosis, especially with alobar holoprosencephaly, risk of epilepsy in patients with intracranial malformations, families may be inappropriately counseled that the infant clinical seizures were not typically noted in the neonatal will certainly die soon after birth. This leaves families period. However, the retrospective nature of our study limits inadequately prepared for future decision-making when the our ability to comment on potential subclinical seizures and baby not only survives, but requires minimal external interictal EEG abnormalities in patients in the neonatal ventilator and feeding support at birth. period. Agenesis of the corpus callosum was seen in isolation Malformations affecting the posterior fossa were the and as part of other CNS malformations. Patients did well most common type seen in our cohort of fetal consultations. overall. This aligns with long term data which show patients A limitation of our study was that it only covered con- with isolated agenesis of the corpus callosum typically have sultations performed by Pediatric Neurologists. At our minor deficits including language delays, learning dis- institution, Pediatric Neurologists are not involved in pre- abilities and fine motor difficulties [12–14]. In our study we natal consultations of pathology. As such, the found that only patients with additional malformations focus of this study is on brain malformations. Compared to beside AgCc needed to have access to ICU level care after other CNS malformations, posterior fossa malformations delivery. One of the female patients with AgCC also had were more likely to be associated with genetic conditions inter hemispheric cysts and developed infantile spasms at including CHARGE, Down’s and Turner’s syndromes and 2 months of age. Postnatal ophthalmological evaluation these patients had associated cardiac malformations. The confirmed the presence of bilateral chorioretinal lacunae. Fetal brain MRI findings and neonatal outcome of common diagnosis at a tertiary care center 1077

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