The lateral cerebral ventricle in early second trimester

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Fetal Medicine
• Neurology

Background:

• Routine second-trimester pregnancy imaging may present ambiguous findings.
• Potential misdiagnosis of fetal hydrocephalus can cause unnecessary anxiety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the origins of confusing imaging findings in early second-trimester pregnancies.
• To describe an imaging technique to differentiate normal anatomy from fetal hydrocephalus.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 100 normal early second-trimester pregnancies.
• Evaluation of specific anatomical landmarks and imaging characteristics.

Main Results:

• A specific imaging appearance mimicking fetal hydrocephalus was observed in 10% of cases.
• Close apposition of the choroid plexus to ventricular walls reliably indicates normal development.

Conclusions:

• Certain imaging presentations can be mistaken for fetal hydrocephalus in early pregnancy.
• A described imaging technique effectively excludes fetal hydrocephalus by evaluating choroid plexus positioning.