Fetal MRI can accurately detect posterior fossa anomalies: Study

USA: Fetal MRI provides the most accurate diagnosis of suspected abnormalities of the posterior fossa (PF), finds a recent study in the journal Pediatric Neurology. This facilitates pregnancy management decision-making. 

"Timing of fetal imaging may impact the accuracy of the diagnosis," wrote the authors. 

Anomalies in posterior fossa can be diagnostic dilemmas during the fetal period. There is a wide variation in the prognosis for different diagnoses of the PF. Sarah D. Schlatterer, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, and colleagues, therefore, aimed to 1) to determine whether fetal MRI (feMRI) and prenatal neurology consultation lead to alternate diagnoses for maternal-fetal dyads referred due to concern for a fetal PF anomaly and; 2) to determine how often the pre- and postnatal diagnoses differed.

For the purpose, the researchers performed a retrospective study of cases referred to the Prenatal Pediatrics Institute at Children's National Hospital from January 2012 to June 2018 due to concern for PF anomaly.

Cases were scored for change in prognosis based upon clinical and feMRI report. Postnatal imaging was compared with prenatal imaging, where available. 

"Fetal diagnosis impacts pregnancy management decisions," wrote the authors.

"Fetal-postnatal imaging agreement was 60% overall, highlighting the conundrum of balancing the timing of feMRI to provide the most accurate diagnosis in time to make pregnancy management decisions regarding suspected abnormalities of the posterior fossa."

The study titled, "The Role of Fetal MRI for Suspected Anomalies of the Posterior Fossa," is published in the journal Pediatric Neurology.

DOI: https://www.pedneur.com/article/S0887-8994(21)00002-3/fulltext