Demographic, ocular and associated neurological findings in corpus callosum malformations

Analysis of Associated Abnormalities and Outcome Assessment in Malformations of the Corpus Callosum Diagnosed via Fetal MRI: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

The study explores corpus callosum malformation (CCM) using comprehensive brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for the assessment of associated malformations and their relation to long-term outcomes.

METHODS

During a 7-year period, all cases of CCM diagnosed via fetal MRI were retrospectively studied. Neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed through postnatal interviews. Fetal brain imaging was performed using a 1.5-T MRI scanner without sedation, focusing on CC development and associated anomalies.

RESULTS

The study included 59 participants with CCM. Isolated CCM was observed in 25.4% of cases, while 74.6% presented with additional intracranial abnormalities, including cortical malformation (45.8%), periventricular nodular heterotopia (25.4%), supratentorial parenchymal signal intensity abnormality (25.4%), and sulcation delay (16.9%). Additionally, 16.9% of CCM cases were associated with non-neurological anomalies, such as craniofacial malformations (8.5%) and urinary abnormalities (5.1%). In terms of pregnancy outcomes, 20.3% underwent pregnancy termination, 5.1% ended in stillbirth, 22.0% resulted in death after birth, and 52.5% resulted in live births. A significant association was observed between the coexistence of cortical malformation and poor prognosis (p = 0. 012).

CONCLUSION

The broad spectrum of anomalies linked to CCM, along with their clinical outcomes, underscores the pivotal role of MRI in prenatal screening for fetuses diagnosed with CCM.

A Case of Ophthalmoplegia, Hypotonia, and Developmental Delay in the Setting of Corpus Callosum Hypoplasia

Anomalies of the corpus callosum, including complete agenesis, partial agenesis, and hypoplasia, are some of the most common brain malformations. Corpus callosum abnormalities are potentially syndromic, many of which have identifiable genetic etiologies. Patients affected with either syndromic or non-syndromic corpus callosum anomalies may also have associated ophthalmologic abnormalities. Some of the syndromes with corpus callosum malformations that also involve ophthalmologic findings include Aicardi syndrome, Mowat-Wilson syndrome, and Xia-Gibbs syndrome. This case report describes a patient with hypoplasia and possible dysgenesis of the corpus callosum noted on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) who had several ophthalmologic findings, including ophthalmoplegia, strabismus, and nystagmus, associated with microcephaly, dysmorphic facial features, global developmental delay, hypotonia, and cryptorchidism. While several previously identified syndromes share similar clinical features with this patient, these findings may also represent an unidentified genetic syndrome, and the patient remains under evaluation for a genetic diagnosis. This report explores the differential for ophthalmologic abnormalities in the setting of corpus callosum hypoplasia.