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Updated: Jul 18, 2026
Use of In vivo Imaging to Monitor the Progression of Experimental Mouse Cytomegalovirus Infection in Neonates
Published on: July 6, 2013
Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Value Changes and Clinical Correlation in 90 Cases of Cytomegalovirus-Infected Fetuses
D Kotovich1,2, J S B Guedalia3, C Hoffmann4
1From The Faculty of Medicine (D.K., A.E.), Institute for Research in Military Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
Background And Purpose:
Cytomegalovirus is the leading intrauterine infection. Fetal MR imaging is an accepted tool for fetal brain evaluation, yet it still lacks the ability to accurately predict the extent of the neurodevelopmental impairment, especially in fetal MR imaging scans with unremarkable findings. Our hypothesis was that intrauterine cytomegalovirus infection causes diffusional changes in fetal brains and that those changes may correlate with the severity of neurodevelopmental deficiencies.
Materials And Methods:
A retrospective analysis was performed on 90 fetal MR imaging scans of cytomegalovirus-infected fetuses with unremarkable results and compared with a matched gestational age control group of 68 fetal head MR imaging scans. ADC values were measured and averaged in the frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes; basal ganglia; thalamus; and pons. For neurocognitive assessment, the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition (VABS-II) was used on 58 children in the cytomegalovirus-infected group.
Results:
ADC values were reduced for the cytomegalovirus-infected fetuses in most brain areas studied. The VABS-II showed no trend for the major domains or the composite score of the VABS-II for the cytomegalovirus-infected children compared with the healthy population distribution. Some subdomains showed an association between ADC values and VABS-II scores.
Conclusions:
Cytomegalovirus infection causes diffuse reduction in ADC values in the fetal brain even in unremarkable fetal MR imaging scans. Cytomegalovirus-infected children with unremarkable fetal MR imaging scans do not deviate from the healthy population in the VABS-II neurocognitive assessment. ADC values were not correlated with VABS-II scores. However, the lack of clinical findings, as seen in most cytomegalovirus-infected fetuses, does not eliminate the possibility of future neurodevelopmental pathology.
Insights
Cytomegalovirus infection reduces fetal brain diffusion, even with normal fetal MRI scans. However, these diffusion changes did not correlate with neurocognitive outcomes in children, suggesting potential for later issues.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Fetal Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the leading cause of congenital infection.
- Fetal MRI is used for brain evaluation but struggles to predict neurodevelopmental impairment, especially with normal findings.
- Hypothesis: CMV infection causes brain diffusion changes correlating with neurodevelopmental deficiencies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if intrauterine CMV infection causes diffusional changes in the fetal brain.
- To determine if these diffusion changes correlate with neurodevelopmental deficiencies.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 90 CMV-infected fetal MRIs and 68 controls.
- Measured apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in multiple brain regions.
- Assessed neurocognitive function using Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition (VABS-II) in 58 children.
Main Results:
- Reduced ADC values observed in most brain areas of CMV-infected fetuses.
- No significant trend in VABS-II major domains or composite scores for CMV-infected children.
- Some subdomain associations found between ADC values and VABS-II scores.
Conclusions:
- CMV infection leads to diffuse ADC value reduction in fetal brains, even with unremarkable fetal MRI.
- CMV-infected children with normal fetal MRIs show no deviation in VABS-II neurocognitive assessment.
- ADC values did not correlate with VABS-II scores, but future neurodevelopmental issues remain possible.
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