Ricerc@Sapienza

Ventriculomegaly (VM) is the most common brain anomaly diagnosed during fetal life and encompasses a large spectrum of conditions characterized by a dilatation of the lateral ventricles of the brain, typically defined as greater than 10 mm at the level of the atria, with or without dilatation of the third or fourth ventricles
Cause, severity and presence of associated anomalies are the major determinants in predicting the outcome of fetuses affected by VM; thus, the main issue when approaching a fetus with VM is to rule out CNS and extra-CNS anomalies.
The International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG) recommends that every fetus presenting with isolated VM on ultrasound should undergo a thorough multiplanar examination of the fetal brain.
Ultrasound (US) is the primary imaging tool for the assessment of fetal brain while fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is usually performed to confirm diagnosis and rule out associated anomalies.
Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been shown to add additional information compared to ultrasound in fetuses affected by isolated VM on ultrasound. However, the large majority of these studies does not specify which type of ultrasound imaging protocol was adopted to assess fetal brain. This is fundamental as most of CNS anomalies cannot be detected on the standard axial plane of fetal brain.
MRI is commonly performed in the third trimester of pregnancy, but recent evidences suggested that early (second trimester) MRI is as affective as late assessment in ruling out such associated anomalies.
The primary aim of this research will be to evaluate the role of fetal MRI in detecting associated anomalies in fetuses presenting with isolated VM undergoing a detailed ultrasound evaluation; the secondary aim will be to determine the optimal gestational age at MRI in fetuses affected by such anomaly.