Radiology, Vol 163, 187-191, Copyright © 1987 by Radiological Society of North America
Fetal hydrocephalus: sonographic detection and clinical significance of associated anomalies
DA Nyberg, LA Mack, J Hirsch, RO Pagon and TH Shepard
Sixty-one cases of fetal hydrocephalus were reviewed to determine the
accuracy and clinical significance of prenatal ultrasound (US) for
detecting concurrent anomalies. Of 61 fetuses studied, 51 (84%) had one or
more major central nervous system (CNS) malformations (38 fetuses with 39
anomalies) and/or extra-CNS anomalies (34 fetuses). Only ten (16%) fetuses
had no concurrent anomaly. Anomalies of the CNS were correctly identified
with US in 35 of 39 (90%) cases. Of 34 fetuses (56%) with extra-CNS
anomalies, 27 had multiple anomalies. One or more extra-CNS abnormality was
identified with US in 22 of the 27 (81%) fetuses with multiple anomalies
but no anomalies were identified with US in the seven patients with an
isolated anomaly. Fetal mortality was directly related to the presence of
extra-CNS anomalies (P less than .01). Many important anomalies coexisting
with fetal hydrocephalus can be identified with US. Furthermore,
sonographic detection of extra-CNS malformations carries a poor prognosis
and was associated with a uniformly fatal outcome in this series.
