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Published on: December 16, 2022
Prenatal diagnosis of spinal dysraphism
Liat Ben-Sira1, Catherine Garel, Gustavo Malinger
1Pediatric Radiology Unit, TEL-AVIV Medical Center and the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel. bensiraliat@gmail.com
Summary
Accurate prenatal diagnosis of spinal dysraphism is vital for intrauterine repair. Advances in prenatal ultrasound (US) and fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) improve the detection of neural tube defects.
Area of Science:
- Prenatal Medicine
- Pediatric Neurology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Intrauterine repair of open spinal dysraphism shows promise, necessitating precise prenatal diagnosis.
- Understanding spinal dysraphism embryogenesis is crucial for accurate classification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the clinical neuroradiological classification of spinal dysraphism embryogenesis.
- To highlight advances in prenatal diagnostic imaging for fetal spinal anomalies.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical neuroradiological classifications.
- Emphasis on advanced prenatal ultrasound (US) techniques, including high-frequency linear transducers and 3D imaging.
- Exploration of fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a complementary diagnostic tool.
Main Results:
- Prenatal US, particularly with advanced features, aids in defining spinal pathologies.
- Fetal MRI effectively delineates complex fetal spinal anomalies and associated central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities.
- Both modalities demonstrate complementary roles in differentiating normal fetal spines from various neural tube defects.
Conclusions:
- Accurate prenatal diagnosis of spinal dysraphism is essential for guiding treatment decisions.
- The combination of advanced US and fetal MRI offers comprehensive evaluation of fetal spinal anomalies.
- Improved diagnostic accuracy impacts the management and outcomes of infants with neural tube defects.
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