Isolated mild fetal cerebral ventriculomegaly: a retrospective analysis of26 cases

We retrospectively studied 26 fetuses with isolated mild cerebral ventricul omegaly diagnosed between 1992 and 1998 and defined by a lateral ventricula r atrial diameter of 10-15 mm without any other cerebral anomaly. Our objec tives were to determine maternal risk factors, to evaluate complementary in vestigations, to assess developmental prognosis and to propose possible man agement, During pregnancy 10/26 patients had regressive ventriculomegalies, ten remained borderline at birth and six were confirmed postnatally. No ma ternal risk factors were identified. Prenatal investigations were carried o ut in 69% of cases but in only a few cases supplied any information. Postna tal examinations revealed one case of Down syndrome and one of porencephaly . Four children were lost to follow-up. In the 22 other cases, four had dev elopmental delay. Early and unexplained mild ventriculomegaly appears to ha ve a good prognosis. If ventriculomegaly is persistent, prenatal management should be carried out to investigate chromosomal abnormalities, viral infe ction, and fetal cerebral parenchymal damage. A long postnatal clinical fol low-up is required. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.