Morphologic Evolution and Coordinated Development of the Fetal Lateral Ventricles in the Second and Third Trimesters

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Few investigators have studied the lateral ventricle formation related to the development of the calcarine sulcus. Our purpose was to establish the relationship between the lateral ventricles and the calcarine sulcus in the second and third trimesters.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fetal brain MR imaging (3T and 7T) was performed in 84 fetuses at 14–35 gestational weeks. The lateral ventricles and calcarine sulcus were 3D-reconstructed, and quantitative measurements were obtained.

RESULTS: The lateral ventricle volume decreases slowly at 14–23 gestational weeks and then increases rapidly at 24–35 gestational weeks. The depth and length of the calcarine sulcus develop with the increase in gestational weeks, leading to be squeezed in the lateral ventricle posterior horn. A linear correlation occurs between the calcarine sulcus length and posterior horn length: Right-length = 2.4204 (L_PH) − 27.5706, Left-length = 2.0939 (L_PH) − 23.4099.

CONCLUSIONS: The variation of lateral ventricle volume evolved from a slow to rapid increase at 14–35 gestational weeks. The shrinkage in the lateral ventricle posterior horn is accompanied by the development of the calcarine sulcus, resulting in a better linear correlation between the calcarine sulcus length and the posterior horn length. The present results are valuable in elucidating the evolution of lateral ventricle development and provide clues for the diagnosis of lateral ventricle abnormalities in the prenatal examination.