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Improved Turnaround Times | Median time to first decision: 12 days

Research ArticlePediatric Neuroimaging

Prognostic Accuracy of Fetal MRI in Predicting Postnatal Neurodevelopmental Outcome

M. Wilson, K. Muir, D. Reddy, R. Webster, C. Kapoor and E. Miller
American Journal of Neuroradiology November 2020, 41 (11) 2146-2154; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3174/ajnr.A6770
M. Wilson
aFrom the Department of Medical Imaging (M.W., C.K., E.M.)
dDepartment of Neurology (M.W.), Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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K. Muir
bPediatric Neurology (K.M.)
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D. Reddy
cResearch Institute (D.R., R.W.), Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, University of Ottawa,Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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R. Webster
cResearch Institute (D.R., R.W.), Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, University of Ottawa,Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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C. Kapoor
aFrom the Department of Medical Imaging (M.W., C.K., E.M.)
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E. Miller
aFrom the Department of Medical Imaging (M.W., C.K., E.M.)
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  • FIG 1.
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    FIG 1.

    Prenatal and postnatal imaging examples of cases in which an indeterminate prognosis was associated with a poor outcome. A, Coronal single-shot fast spin-echo at 33 weeks with extensive bilateral polymicrogyria (peri-Sylvian, frontal, and parietal). Coronal T2 at 2 days of age confirms diffuse polymicrogyria. B, Axial single-shot fast spin-echo at 30 weeks shows a small right cerebral hemisphere with associated abnormal sulcation. There is right-sided polymicrogyria, a left subependymal nodule, and a large middle cystic structure (not shown) inferior to the corpus callosum and extending to the posterior fossa. Axial T2 at 2 days of age confirmed the fetal MR imaging findings. C, Axial FIESTA at 23 weeks demonstrates left unilateral VM. Axial T2 at 3 weeks of age confirms the left VM. The patient later required ventriculoperitoneal shunt due to complications of hydrocephalus and further disconnection surgery without resolution of seizures.

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    FIG 2.

    Prenatal and postnatal images showing examples of discordant imaging findings. A, Axial T2 feMRI at 27 weeks shows moderate VM, and postnatal axial T2 MRI shows mild VM with subependymal heterotropia (arrows). B, feMRI at 24 weeks shows mild VM and a preserved cerebral mantle, and postnatal MRI shows microcephaly and severe ventriculomegaly with thinning of the cerebral mantle. C, feMRI at 24 weeks shows a thin T2-hypointense cerebral line in the frontal lobes (arrows) that was overlooked. Postnatal MRI confirmed subcortical band heterotopia.

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    FIG 3.

    Prenatal and postnatal imaging examples of cases in which an indeterminate prognosis was associated with a favorable outcome. A, Axial single-shot fast spin-echo at 23 weeks with primitive sulcation and oligohydramnios. Axial T2 at 2 months of age shows normal brain MRI findings. B, Axial single-shot fast spin-echo at 35 weeks with VM (left 13 and right 12 mm). MRI at 6 years of age shows persistent prominent VM similar to findings on the ultrasound after birth (not shown). The patient has normal neurologic examination findings. C, Sagittal single-shot fast spin-echo at 35 weeks with a large cisterna magna versus vermian hypoplasia. Sagittal T1 at 3 days of life shows a prominent cisterna magna without other abnormalities.

Tables

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    Table 1:

    Characteristics of participants included in image analysis

    CharacteristicAll GA (n = 114)GA <25 Weeks (n = 56)GA ≥25 Weeks (n = 58)
    GA at fetal MR imaging (range)  (median) (IQR) (wk)19.00–39.43 (25.9 [21.9–32.3])19.00–24.43 (21.8 [21.0–23.1])25.86–39.43 (32.2 [29.1–34.1])
    Maternal age at fetal MR imaging  (range) (median) (IQR) (yr)16.00–41.00 (31.0 [28.0–34.0])16.00–41.00 (31.0 [28.8–35.0])17.00–41.00 (31.0 [27.2–34.0])
    Brain region (No.) (%)
     Ventriculomegaly39 (34.2%)20 (35.7%)19 (32.8%)
      Mild23 (21.9%)14 (25.0%)9 (15.5%)
      Moderate7 (4.4%)4 (3.6%)3 (5.1%)
      Severe9 (7.9%)2 (3.6%)7 (12.1%)
     Posterior fossa26 (22.8%)12 (21.4%)14 (24.1%)
     Corpus callosum13 (11.4%)3 (5.4%)10 (17.2%)
     Sulcation/migration15 (13.2%)9 (16.1%)6 (10.3%)
     Normal brain15 (13.2%)11 (19.6%)4 (6.9%)
     Space-occupying lesion4 (3.5%)1 (1.8%)3 (5.2%)
     Vascular anomaly1 (0.9%)0 (0.0%)1 (1.7%)
     Hemorrhage1 (0.9%)0 (0.0%)1 (1.7%)
    • Note:—IQR indicates interquartile range.

    • View popup
    Table 2:

    Image analysis—concordance between fetal MR imaging and postnatal imaging

    No. (%)GA <25 Weeks (No.) (%)GA ≥25 Weeks (No.) (%)
    Agreement106 (93.0%)50 (89.3%)56 (96.6%)
    Disagreement8 (7.0%)6 (10.7%)2 (3.4%)
    • View popup
    Table 3:

    List of prenatal and postnatal imaging diagnoses in cases of disagreement

    GA (wk)Prenatal DiagnosisPostnatal Diagnosis
    24Macrocephaly with moderate asymmetric VMHealthy
    22Vermis and cerebellum slightly small for GAHealthy
    27Moderate VM (Fig 2A)Mild VM and 3 subependymal heterotopias
    20Mild VM and moderate pericardial effusionCystic encephalomalacia
    24Mild VM (Fig 2B)Microcephaly with severe VM
    24Flattening of inferior surface of cerebellum (Fig 2C)Extensive lissencephaly with band heterotropia
    19Twin A, healthyCongenital CMV
    19Twin B, healthyCongenital CMV
    • Note:—CMV indicates cytomegalovirus.

    • View popup
    Table 4:

    Characteristics of participants included in the assessment of concordance between prenatal prognosis and postnatal neurodevelopmental outcome

    Characteristic(n = 104)GA <25 Weeks (n = 50)GA ≥25 Weeks (n = 54)
    GA at fetal MR imaging (range)  (median) (IQR) (wk)19.00–39.43 (26.1 [21.8, 31.9])19.00–24.43 (21.7 [21.0, 23.0])25.00–39.43 (31.9 [29.6–34.0])
    Maternal age at fetal MR imaging  (range) (median) (IQR) (yr)16.00–41.00 (31.0 [28.0–33.0])16.00–41.00 (30.0 [28.0–32.0])17.00–41.00 (31.0 [28.0–34.0])
    Age at postnatal visit (range) (median) (IQR) (yr)1.00–10.42 (3.0 [1.9–5.9])1.00–8.92 (2.8 [1.7–5.1])1.00–10.42 (3.8 [2.0–6.0])
    Brain region (No.) (%)
     Ventriculomegaly32 (30.8%)17 (34.0%)15 (27.8%)
      Mild20 (19.2%)12 (24.0%)8 (14.8%)
      Moderate5 (4.8%)3 (6.0%)2 (3.7%)
      Severe7 (6.7%)2 (4.0%)5 (9.3%)
     Posterior fossa19 (18.3%)7 (14.0%)12 (22.2%)
     Corpus callosum11 (10.6%)2 (4.0%)9 (16.7%)
     Sulcation/migration8 (7.7%)5 (10.0%)3 (5.6%)
     Normal28 (26.9%)18 (36.0%)10 (18.5%)
     Space4 (3.8%)1 (2.0%)3 (5.6%)
     Vascular anomaly1 (1.0%)0 (0.0%)1 (1.9%)
     Hemorrhage1 (1.0%)0 (0.0%)1 (1.9%)
    • View popup
    Table 5:

    Prenatal prognosis and postnatal outcome for all gestational ages (n = 104)

    Prenatal Prognosis (No.) (%)Postnatal Outcome, Favorable (n = 77)Postnatal Outcome, Intermediate (n = 12)Postnatal Outcome, Poor (n = 15)
    Favorable (n = 46)43 (93.5%)2 (4.3%)1 (2.2%)
    Indeterminate (n = 52)33 (63.5%)10 (19.2%)9 (17.3%)
    Poor (n = 6)1 (16.7%)0 (0.0%)5 (83.3%)
    • View popup
    Table 6:

    Prenatal prognosis and postnatal development of epilepsy (n = 96)

    Prenatal Prognosis (No.) (%)Absence of Epilepsy (n = 84)Medically Controlled Epilepsy (n = 7)Intractable Epilepsy (n = 5)
    Favorable (n = 46)45 (97.8%)0 (0.0%)1 (2.2%)
    Indeterminate (n = 47)37 (78.7%)7 (14.9%)3 (6.4%)
    Poor (n = 3)2 (66.7%)0 (0.0%)1 (33.3%)
    • View popup
    Table 7:

    Prenatal prognosis and postnatal outcome at GA<25 weeks (n = 50)

    Prenatal Prognosis (No.) (%)Postnatal Outcome, Favorable (n = 36)Postnatal Outcome, Intermediate (n = 7)Postnatal Outcome, Poor (n = 7)
    Favorable (n = 25)23 (92.0%)1 (4.0%)1 (4.0%)
    Indeterminate (n = 25)13 (52.0%)6 (24.0%)6 (24.0%)
    Poor (n = 0)0 (0.0%)0 (0.0%)0 (100.0%)
    • View popup
    Table 8:

    Prenatal prognosis and postnatal outcome at GA ≥25 weeks (n = 50)

    Prenatal Prognosis (No.) (%)Postnatal Outcome, Favorable (n = 41)Postnatal Outcome, Intermediate (n = 5)Postnatal Outcome, Poor (n = 8)
    Favorable (n = 21)20 (95.2%)1 (4.8%)0 (0.0%)
    Indeterminate (n = 27)20 (74.1%)4 (14.8%)3 (11.1%)
    Poor (n = 6)1 (16.7%)0 (0.0%)5 (83.3%)
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M. Wilson, K. Muir, D. Reddy, R. Webster, C. Kapoor, E. Miller
Prognostic Accuracy of Fetal MRI in Predicting Postnatal Neurodevelopmental Outcome
American Journal of Neuroradiology Nov 2020, 41 (11) 2146-2154; DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A6770

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Prognostic Accuracy of Fetal MRI in Predicting Postnatal Neurodevelopmental Outcome
M. Wilson, K. Muir, D. Reddy, R. Webster, C. Kapoor, E. Miller
American Journal of Neuroradiology Nov 2020, 41 (11) 2146-2154; DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A6770
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