RAPID FETAL KARYOTYPE FROM CYSTIC HYGROMA AND PLEURAL EFFUSIONS

Fluid from pleural effusion (n=2) and cystic hygroma (n=7) was obtaine d from eight fetuses, between 13 and 32 weeks of pregnancy at the time when a conventional prenatal diagnosis procedure was carried out. As these fluids contain lymphocytes, they were processed like peripheral blood. A karyotype was obtained in 4 days in both cases of pleural eff usion and in four out of seven samples of cystic hygroma. An abnormal karyotype was detected in three of the four samples of cystic hygroma: two trisomies 21 and a monosomy X. Different parameters were evaluate d in order to predict the feasibility of obtaining a cytogenetic diagn osis. Our data showed that if the amount of fluid obtained was greater than or equal to 4 ml and the initial lymphocyte count (ILC) was >0.2 x 10(6) cells/ml a cytogenetic diagnosis was possible from an initial concentration of cultured lymphocytes (ICCL) of >0.06 x 10(6) cells/m l.