POSTMORTEM AXIAL SKELETAL RADIOGRAPHY CAN REVEAL FETAL CNS MALFORMATIONS

The routinely performed autopsy of a macerated fetus will often be of dubious value, particularly as regards the examination of the central nervous system (CNS). Former studies have demonstrated a close relatio nship between certain CNS malformations and axial skeletal malformatio ns revealed radiographically. In the present report a postmortem exami nation of a severely macerated fetus demonstrates a transsphenoidal en cephalocele. A supplementary histological examination confirmed this c ondition and furthermore revealed absence of the pituitary gland. The findings were related to a strongly elevated serum alphafetoprotein le vel in the 18th gestational week, This report emphasizes the value of postmortem axial skeletal radiography of autolyzed fetuses suspected f or CNS malformations.