SONOGRAPHIC DETECTION OF INFERIOR VERMIAN AGENESIS IN DANDY-WALKER MALFORMATIONS - PROGNOSTIC IMPLICATIONS

PURPOSE: To compare the prognoses for fetuses with sonographically det ected inferior vermian agenesis (IVA) or complete vermian agenesis (CV A). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sonograms of 65 fetuses with Dandy-Walk er malformations were retrospectively reviewed. Fetuses were divided i nto two groups-those with IVA and those with CVA. RESULTS: Of the 65 f etuses,,37 had IVA; 28, CVA. Thirteen (20%) of the 65-nine (24%) of th e 37 with IVA and four (14%) of the 28 with CVA-lived for longer than 1 year. Chromosomal abnormalities were found in 23 (45%) of the 51 fet uses tested for karyotypic abnormalities or clinically thought to have Down syndrome. Seventeen (53%) of the 32 with IVA and six (32%) of th e 19 with CVA that were tested for karyotypic abnormalities or clinica lly thought to have Down syndrome had chromosomal abnormalities (P = . 07). Associated morphologic abnormalities Were prenatally detected in 49 (75%) of the 65-in 28 (76%) of the 37 with IVA and in 21 (75%) of t he 28 with CVA. CONCLUSION: The overall guarded prognosis is similar f or fetuses with Dandy-Walker malformations for whom IVA or CVA has bee n sonographically diagnosed. Fetuses with IVA have a higher prevalence of karyotypic abnormalities.