Chapter 59, The Fetal Neural Axis Flashcards
Many of the congenital malformations of the CNS result from
incomplete closure of the neural tube
A wide range of defects resulting from incomplete closure of the neural tube may affect what?
the spine and/or brain
What is anencephaly?
neural tube defect characterized by the lack of development of the cerebral and cerebellar hemispheres and cranial vault
T/F: anencephaly is compatible with life?
false
What is the most common neural tube defect?
anencephaly
What is the overall incidence of anencephaly in pregnancies in the US?
1 in 1,000
Where is there a much higher prevalence of anencephaly?
the U.K.
Prevalence of gender and race related to anencephaly?
female prevalence of 4 to 1, white to black of 6 to 1
What is the cause of anencephaly?
failure of closure of the neural tube at the cranial end…result is the absence of the cranial vault, complete or partial absence of the forebrain (Which may partially develop then degenerate,) and the presence of the brain stem, midbrain, skull base, facial structures.
Up to ____% of cases of anencephaly result in fetal demise?
50%, remainder die at birth or shortly after
T/F: With anencephaly, early diagnosis is preferred?
True
T/F: Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels are extremely high with anencephaly?
True, because of the absent skull and exposed tissue
Anencephaly may result from what?
Meckel-Gruber syndrome or a chromosomal abnormality like trisomy 13
T/F: There is an increased risk of anencephaly in patients with diabetes?
True
Environmental and dietary factors that may increase the prevalence of neural tube defects include:
- hyperthermia
- folate and vitamin deficiencies
- teratogenic levels of zinc
- amniotic band syndrome
Sonographic features of anencephaly include:
- absence of brain and cranial vault
- rudimentary brain tissue characterized as the cerebrovasculosa
- bulging fetal orbits, giving a froglike appearance
- polyhydramnios (may not be present until after 26 weeks.)
- coexisting spina bifida and/or craniorachisschisis
Related anomalies of anencephaly include:(7)
- cleft lip and palate
- hydronephrosis
- diaphragmatic hernia
- cardiac defects
- omphalocele
- GI defects
- talipes
Acrania is AKA:
exencephaly
What is acrania?
a lethal anomaly that manifests as complete or partial absence of the cranial bones with the presence of complete, although abnormal, development of the cerebral hemispheres
When does acrania occur?
the beginning of the 4th gestational week
T/F: Acrania is rare?
True
Disorders that may mimic acrania:
- anencephaly
- hypophosphatasia
- osteogenesis imperfecta (result in hypomineralization of the cranium.)
Sonographic features of acrania:
- presence of brain tissue without the presence of a calvarium
- disorganization of brain tissue
- prominent sulcal markings
What is cephalocele?
A neural tube defect in which the meninges alone or meninges and brain herniate through a defect in the calvarium
What is encephalocele?
used to describe herniation of the meninges and brain through the defect
What is cranial meningocele?
The herniation of only meninges
Cephaloceles occur at a rate of
1-3 in 10,000 live births
In 75% of cephalocele cases:
the cephalocele involves the occipital bone and is located in the midline, although it may also involve the parietal and frontal regions
The prognosis for the infant with a cephalocele varies based on:
- size
- location
- involvement with other brain structures
The sonographic features of cephaloceles include:
- an extracranial mass which may be fluid filled or contain solid components
- a bony defect in the skull
- ventriculomegaly (usually w/ encephalocele)
- polyhydramnios
Coexisting anomalies of cephalocele include:
- microcephaly
- agenesis of the corpus callosum
- facial clefts
- spina bifida
- cardiac anomalies
- genital anomalies
Chromosomal anomalies and syndromes ID’d with cephaloceles include:
- Trisomy 13
- Meckel-Gruber syndrome
What is Meckel-Gruber syndrome?
an autosomal-recessive disorder characterized by encephalocele, polydactyly and polycystic kidneys
What is spina bifida?
encompasses a wide range of vertebra defects that result from failure of neural tube closure (there is a cleft or opening in the spine)
What may protude through spina bifida?
the meninges and neural elements
What is a form of spina bifida that is covered with skin or hair?
spina bifida occulta
What is spina bifida occulta associated with?
a normal spinal cord and nerves and normal neurologic development
T/F: Spina bifida occulta is extremely difficult to detect in the fetus?
True
T/F: because spina bifida occulta is covered by skin, the maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein level will be normal.
True
When the defect involves only protrusion of the meninges it is termed ______.
meningocele
When the meninges ad neural elements protrude through the defect, this is called ____.
meningomyelocele
If the defect is very large and severe, it is termed _______
rachischisis
Meningoceles, meningomyeloceles, and rachischisis are commonly associated with:
increased maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein
Spina bifida is associated with varying degrees of neurologic impairment which may include
minor anethesia, paraparesis, or death
Fetuses with myelomeningoceles often present with
cranial defects associated with Arnold-Chiari (type 2) malformation
Describe Arnold-Chiari (type 2) malformation
presents invariably with hydrocephalus because of the cerebellar vermis, which becomes displaced into the cervical canal, giving the cerebellum a banana appearance and obliterates the cisterna magna. Also, caudal displacement of the cranial structures causes scalloping of the frontal skull bones, resulting in a lemon shape.
Sonographic findings of spina bifida include:
- splaying of the posterior ossification centers with a V or U configuration.
- protrusion of a saclike structure that may be anechoic or contain neural elements
- a cleft in the skin
- talipes
- cephaloceles
- cleft lip and palate
- hypotelorism
- heart defects
- genitourinary anomalies
What should be documented once a spinal defect has been ID’d? (3)
- the level and extent of the defect
- the presence of absence of neural elements contained in the protruding sac
- associated intracranial findings
Associated sonographic cranial findings of spina bifida include:
- lemon-shaped head
- obliteration of cisterna magna
- inferior displacement of cerebellar vermis, giving cerebellum a banana shape
- ventriculomegaly
T/F: The lemon sign is specific to spina bifida.
False, seen in other CNS malformations like encephalocele and non-CNS malformations like thanatophoric dysplasia
Spina bifida has been associated with
- trisomy 18
- maternal diabetes
- hyperthermia
- folic acid deficiency
What does Dandy-Walker malformation manifest with?
Agenesis or hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis with resulting dialation of the fourth ventricle.
When is Dandy-Walker thought to occur?
before the 6th or 7th week