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Haddad L, Hadi E, Leibovitz Z, Lev D, Shalev Y, Gindes L, Lerman-Sagie T. Small size, big problems: insights and difficulties in prenatal diagnosis of fetal microcephaly. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1347506. [PMID: 38533444 PMCID: PMC10964924 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1347506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Microcephaly is a sign, not a diagnosis. Its incidence varies widely due to the differences in the definition and the population being studied. It is strongly related to neurodevelopmental disorders. Differences in definitions and measurement techniques between fetuses and newborns pose a great challenge for the diagnosis and prognostication of fetal microcephaly. A false positive diagnosis can result (in countries where it is legal) in erroneous termination of pregnancy, where a false negative diagnosis might lead to the birth of a microcephalic newborn. Microcephaly in growth restricted fetuses deserves special attention and separate evaluation as it is an important prognostic factor, and not necessarily part of the general growth retardation. Several genetic syndromes incorporating microcephaly and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) are discussed. Deceleration of the head circumference (HC) growth rate even when the HC is still within normal limits might be the only clue for developing microcephaly and should be considered during fetal head growth follow up. Combining additional parameters such as a positive family history, associated anomalies, and new measurement parameters can improve prediction in about 50% of cases, and thus should be part of the prenatal workup. Advances in imaging modalities and in prenatal genetic investigation along with the emergence of new growth charts can also improve diagnostic accuracy. In this article, we review the different definitions and etiologies of fetal microcephaly, discuss difficulties in diagnosis, investigate the reasons for the low yield of prenatal diagnosis, and provide improvement suggestions. Finally, we suggest an updated algorithm that will aid in the diagnosis and management of fetal microcephaly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Haddad
- Fetal Neurology Clinic, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Ultrasound Unit, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Efrat Hadi
- Fetal Neurology Clinic, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Diagnostic Ultrasound Unit, The Institute of Obstetrical and Gynecological Imaging, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Zvi Leibovitz
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Ultrasound Unit, Bnai Zion Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
- Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute, Haifa, Israel
| | - Dorit Lev
- Fetal Neurology Clinic, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Medical Genetics Unit, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel
| | - Yoseph Shalev
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Ultrasound Unit, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Liat Gindes
- Fetal Neurology Clinic, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Ultrasound Unit, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Tally Lerman-Sagie
- Fetal Neurology Clinic, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel
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Advantages of current fetal neuroimaging and genomic technologies in prenatal diagnosis: A clinical case. Eur J Med Genet 2022; 66:104652. [PMID: 36374791 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2022.104652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The diagnosis of prenatal microcephaly, as well as the possibility of underlining a genetic cause, is becoming more frequent thanks to advances in prenatal imaging and parallel massive sequencing. One case of primary microcephaly in three sibs demonstrates how complementary diagnostic exams can help to diagnose and establish the etiology.
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Leibovitz Z, Lerman-Sagie T, Haddad L. Fetal Brain Development: Regulating Processes and Related Malformations. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12060809. [PMID: 35743840 PMCID: PMC9224903 DOI: 10.3390/life12060809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper describes the contemporary state of knowledge regarding processes that regulate normal development of the embryonic–fetal central nervous system (CNS). The processes are described according to the developmental timetable: dorsal induction, ventral induction, neurogenesis, neuronal migration, post-migration neuronal development, and cortical organization. We review the current literature on CNS malformations associated with these regulating processes. We specifically address neural tube defects, holoprosencephaly, malformations of cortical development (including microcephaly, megalencephaly, lissencephaly, cobblestone malformations, gray matter heterotopia, and polymicrogyria), disorders of the corpus callosum, and posterior fossa malformations. Fetal ventriculomegaly, which frequently accompanies these disorders, is also reviewed. Each malformation is described with reference to the etiology, genetic causes, prenatal sonographic imaging, associated anomalies, differential diagnosis, complimentary diagnostic studies, clinical interventions, neurodevelopmental outcome, and life quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zvi Leibovitz
- Obstetrics-Gynecology Ultrasound Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fetal Neurology Clinic, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 5822012, Israel;
- Obstetrics-Gynecology Ultrasound Unit, Bnai-Zion Medical Center, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, The Technion, Haifa 31048, Israel;
- Correspondence:
| | - Tally Lerman-Sagie
- Obstetrics-Gynecology Ultrasound Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fetal Neurology Clinic, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 5822012, Israel;
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 5822012, Israel
| | - Leila Haddad
- Obstetrics-Gynecology Ultrasound Unit, Bnai-Zion Medical Center, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, The Technion, Haifa 31048, Israel;
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Hart AR, Vasudevan C, Griffiths PD, Foulds N, Piercy H, de Lacy P, Boxall S, Howe D, Vollmer B. Antenatal counselling for prospective parents whose fetus has a neurological anomaly: part 2, risks of adverse outcome in common anomalies. Dev Med Child Neurol 2022; 64:23-39. [PMID: 34482539 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.15043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
After diagnosis of a fetal neurological anomaly, prospective parents want to know the best and worst-case scenarios and an estimation of the risk to their infant of having an atypical developmental outcome. The literature on developmental outcomes for fetal neurological anomalies is poor: studies are characterized by retrospective design, small sample size, often no standardized assessment of development, and differing definitions of anomalies. This review provides an aide-memoir on the risks of adverse neurodevelopmental outcome for ventriculomegaly, cortical anomalies, microcephaly, macrocephaly, agenesis of the corpus callosum, posterior fossa anomalies, and myelomeningocele, to assist healthcare professionals in counselling. The data in this review should be used alongside recommendations on counselling and service design described in part 1 to provide antenatal counselling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony R Hart
- Department of Perinatal and Paediatric Neurology, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Ryegate Children's Centre, Sheffield, UK
| | - Chakra Vasudevan
- Department of Neonatology, Bradford Royal Infirmary, Bradford, UK
| | - Paul D Griffiths
- Academic Unit of Radiology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Nicola Foulds
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Princess Anne Hospital, University Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Hilary Piercy
- The Centre for Health and Social Care, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
| | - Patricia de Lacy
- Department of Paediatric Neuosurgery, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Sally Boxall
- Wessex Fetal Medicine Unit, Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton, UK
| | - David Howe
- Wessex Fetal Medicine Unit, Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton, UK
| | - Brigitte Vollmer
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Paediatric and Neonatal Neurology, Southampton Children's Hospital, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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Bardin R, Krispin E, Salman L, Navon I, Shmueli A, Perlman S, Gilboa Y, Hadar E. Association of term isolated microcephaly with mode of delivery and perinatal outcome - a retrospective case-control analysis. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2021; 21:115. [PMID: 33563226 PMCID: PMC7871588 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-021-03613-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We aimed to evaluate the association of isolated fetal microcephaly measured by ultrasound prior to delivery at term with mode of delivery and perinatal outcome. Methods A single-center retrospective study was conducted in 2012–2016. Fetal microcephaly was defined as head circumference > 2 standard deviations of the mean for gestational age and sex. We compared the obstetric, delivery, and outcome parameters of women in whom ultrasound performed up to 10 days prior to term delivery showed isolated fetal microcephaly (study group) or normal head circumference (reference group). Exclusion criteria were intrauterine fetal death, birthweight below the 10th percentile, and antepartum cesarean delivery for any indication. Results Of 3677 women included in the study, 26 (0.7%) had a late ultrasound finding of isolated fetal microcephaly. Baseline characteristics were similar in the two groups except for estimated fetal weight based on abdominal circumference and biparietal diameter, which was lower in the microcephaly group (3209.8 ± 557.6 vs. 2685.8 ± 420.8 g, p < .001). There was no significant between-group difference in rate of vaginal operative deliveries (11.7% vs 14.8%, respectively, p = 0.372). The study group had no intrapartum cesarean deliveries compared to 6.3% of the reference group (NS). Compared to controls, neonates in the study group were smaller (3323.2 ± 432.2 vs. 2957.0 ± 330.4 g, p < .001), with lower birthweight percentile (60.5 ± 26.5 vs. 33.6 ± 21.5%, p < .001) and were more often males (48.2 vs. 90.0%, p < .001). No significant differences were noted in perinatal outcomes between the groups, including admission to neonatal intensive care unit, intraventricular hemorrhage, 5-min Apgar score < 7, asphyxia, seizures, and sepsis. Conclusions Isolated microcephaly in term fetuses is not advantageous for a vaginal delivery, nor does it does not pose a greater than normal risk of adverse perinatal outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ron Bardin
- Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva; affiliated to Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Eyal Krispin
- Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva; affiliated to Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Lina Salman
- Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Hadera; affiliated to Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Inbal Navon
- Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva; affiliated to Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Anat Shmueli
- Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva; affiliated to Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sharon Perlman
- Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva; affiliated to Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yinon Gilboa
- Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva; affiliated to Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Eran Hadar
- Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva; affiliated to Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Leibovitz Z, Lerman-Sagie T. Diagnostic approach to fetal microcephaly. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2018; 22:935-943. [PMID: 29970280 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 05/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Microcephaly in utero is conventionally defined as a fetal head circumference (HC) 3SD below the mean for gestational age according to Jeanty et al.'s reference range. Prediction of microcephaly at birth (micB) based on conventional prenatal biometry is associated with a high percentage of false positive diagnoses and as a result, in countries in which it is an option, termination of pregnancy may be offered in cases that would have culminated in birth of a normocephalic child. A false negative diagnosis is rarer, but may lead to the birth of a symptomatic microcephalic child. In this review we present the results of our recent studies aimed at improvement of accurate prenatal detection of microcephaly including: (1), application of two new reference ranges for fetal HC in cases with a prenatal diagnosis of microcephaly based on the conventional reference; (2) assessment whether integration of additional parameters (stricter fetal HC cut-offs, small-for-gestational age (SGA), decreased HC/abdominal circumference and HC/femur length ratios, presence of associated malformations and family history) can improve prediction; (3), estimation of the difference between Z-scores of prenatal HC and the corresponding occipitofrontal circumference (OFC) at birth in order to propose an adjustment for better prediction of the actual OFC deviation at birth; (4), assessment whether micB diagnosis can be improved by accurate detection of false positive Fmic cases whose small HC is due to an acrocephalic-like head deformation by applying a new reference range of a vertical measurement of the fetal head: foramen magnum-to-cranium distance (FCD). The conventional and new reference ranges for fetal HC, all result in considerable over-diagnosis of fetal microcephaly (ranging from 43% to 33%). The use of the new references does not significantly improve micB prediction compared with the conventional one, whilst integrating additional parameters results in a better positive predictive value (PPV), but an increase in false negatives. The degree of Fmic severity is significantly over-estimated compared to the corresponding micB. The difference between the postnatal OFC deviation from the mean and the prenatal HC ranges from -0.74 SD to -1.95 SD for various fetal HC references. Application of the reference range for vertical cranial dimensions enables exclusion of fetuses with a small HC associated with a vertical cranial deformity without missing those with actual micB. Combining the fetal HC with the developed FCD criteria raised the PPV of micB to 78%. CONCLUSIONS: Prediction of micB can be improved by integrating additional parameters and by application of the FCD criteria, however the correct diagnosis of Fmic remains challenging. An algorithm for evaluation of fetal microcephaly is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zvi Leibovitz
- Obstetrics-Gynecology Ultrasound Unit, Bnai-Zion Medical Center and Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, The Technion, Haifa, Israel; Fetal Neurology Clinic, Obstetrics-Gynecology Ultrasound Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
| | - Tally Lerman-Sagie
- Fetal Neurology Clinic, Obstetrics-Gynecology Ultrasound Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel; Pediatric Neurology Unit, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv-Aviv, Israel
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