Thought you may be interested:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/484392?src=mp
Fetal Cleft Lip and Palate Seen Better With MRI Than Sonography
By Will Boggs, MD
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jul 28 - MRI is superior to sonography for the
prenatal diagnosis of cleft lip and cleft palate, according to a pictorial
essay in the July issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.
"MRI can add important information when a fetus has a suspicion of cleft lip
and/or palate," Dr. Deborah Levine from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical
Center, Boston, Massachusetts told Reuters Health.
Dr. Levine and colleagues illustrate the normal and abnormal MRI appearances
of the fetal lip and palate and correlate these appearances with the
corresponding sonographic findings.
Fetal MRI allowed detailed prenatal evaluation of the upper lip and palate,
the authors report, particularly with coronal images of the nose and lips
and sagittal sections showing the secondary palate.
Unlike sonography, where detection of the secondary palate is difficult, MRI
allows direct visualization of the soft palate. Unilateral and bilateral
clefts extending into the secondary palate are directly visible on MRI, the
researchers note.
"Although the sensitivity and specificity of MRI for the detection of cleft
lip and palate and cleft secondary palate have yet to be determined," the
investigators write, "it is possible that with a combination of the improved
visualization of many bone and soft-tissue facial structures made possible
by MRI and increased vigilance in analysis of fetal facial anatomy, we can
improve our accuracy and detection rate of facial clefts, thereby improving
our ability to thoroughly and accurately counsel patients."
"Our standard protocol includes a sagittal midline view of the brain and
face of every fetus being assessed for central nervous system
abnormalities," Dr. Levine said. "This view allows for visualization of the
corpus callosum of the brain, the vermis of the cerebellum, and soft
palate."
"Our future studies involve prospective diagnosis and the impact that MRI
has on counseling these patients," Dr. Levine added. "We currently are
writing up 2 patients with prospective isolated cleft soft palate that could
not be visualized on ultrasound but was prospectively diagnosed with MR."
Am J Roentgenol 2004;183:229-235.
Karen Clements
RM IBCLC
Melbourne Aust
***********************************************
To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
|
