Comparative study among ultrasound of fetuses, computed tomography of newborns, and neuropathological findings in cerebral anomalies

Ultrasound (US) for fetuses and computed tomography (CT) for newborns were compared with neuropathological findings in 10 patients with iniencephaly, holoprosencephaly, or hydranencephaly. Cerebral anomalies were seen as abnormal size or deformity of the head, and dilated cerebral ventricle on US. CT visualized the structure inside the cranium, which coincided with macroscopic findings at autopsy. In some neonatal autopsy cases, there was evidence of dilated cerebral ventricle and gliosis, suggesting that fetal anomalies advance during the latter stage of gestation. Repeated observations of US findings are considered necessary in diagnosing cerebral anomalies. (Namekawa, K.)