The use of fetal neurosonography and brain MRI in cases of cytomegalovirus infection during pregnancy: A retrospective analysis with outcome correlation

ObjectiveTo analyze ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results and developmental outcome in cases of maternal primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection during pregnancy. MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the results of fetal neurosonography and brain MRI of CMV-infected fetuses (Group 1). Cases of maternal infection in which the fetal status was unknown, and subsequently had a negative CMV postnatal urine analysis, were independently analyzed (Group 2). Imaging results were classified as follows: positive, negative, or inconclusive. Developmental landmarks were followed up. ResultsEighty-one women were included in the study: 48 (59.2%) in Group 1 and 33 (40.8%) in Group 2. In Group 1, termination of pregnancy was performed in 8 cases (16.7%) following the diagnosis of brain abnormalities. Among the remaining cases, concordance rate between US and MRI was 78%. False negative rates for US and MRI were 5.5% and 6.4%, respectively (hearing deficits). For MRI, we found 17.5% of false positive/inconclusive results, while for the US, we found 5% of inconclusive results. In Group 2, false positive rates for US and MRI were 6.5% and 12.9%, respectively. ConclusionsAdding MRI in CMV-infected cases with a normal neurosonographic follow-up should be weighed against a nonnegligible rate of false positive and inconclusive findings.