[Ventriculomegaly without dysraphic malformations--retrospective analysis fetuses diagnosed in the Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics of the Postgraduate Center of Medical Education in Warsaw, between 1997-2002].

OBJECTIVES

Our objective was to determine if ventriculomegaly not related to the open neural tube defects is associated with other anomalies and aneuploidy. What we should do after such diagnosis. We also analyzed gestational age at the first examination.

DESIGN

We retrospectively studied ultrasound reports of the fetuses with this type of ventriculomegaly.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

We analyzed 71 cases diagnosed between September 1997 and March 2002. Ventriculomegaly was a assumed to be present when atrial width was equal or greater than 10 mm. Antenatal karyotyping was performed in all fetuses.

RESULTS

21 cases were concomitant with other CNS malformations, in 50 cases ventriculomegaly was the only one brain anomaly. The incidence of chromosomal abnormalities was 8.5% and it was strongly related to the presence of multisystem malformations. The median gestational age at diagnosis was 27.6 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that in fetuses with ventriculomegaly not related to the open neural tube defects a detailed ultrasonographic survey and karyotyping should be done. Furthermore, every pregnant woman should undergo ultrasound screening before the 24th gestational week.