SynthesisBJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology2021
Cranial findings detected by second-trimester ultrasound in fetuses with myelomeningocele: a systematic review.
Synthesis in BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.
- Fetal myelomeningocele repair after the MOMS trial: a systematic review of neurosurgical outcomes and evolving techniques.Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery · 2025Pooled it
- Cranial findings detected by second-trimester ultrasound in fetuses with myelomeningocele: a systematic review.BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology · 2021Pooled it
- Anatomical-Motor Level Discrepancy in Prenatal Diagnosis of Open Spinal Dysraphism: A 12-Year Retrospective Observational Study.BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology · 2026Observational
- Interhemispheric fissure distortion in fetal open spina bifida: an under-recognized prenatal ultrasound finding.Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology · 2026Article
- Therapeutic Termination of Pregnancy Under the Umbrella of Environmental, Socio-Economic Factors and High-Risk Pregnancy.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Prevalence of epilepsy and structural brain anomalies in spina bifida aperta.Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery · 2026Article
- Predominance of ventricular catheter misplacement with anterior approach in neonates and infants.Surgical neurology international · 2026Article
- Open Spinal Dysraphism Without Hindbrain Herniation-Natural History and Postnatal Outcome.Prenatal diagnosis · 2025Article
- Perioperative management of patients with spina bifida.BJA education · 2024Review
- Longitudinal MRI in the context of in utero surgery for open spina bifida: A descriptive study.Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica · 2024Article
- Assessment of longitudinal brain development using super-resolution magnetic resonance imaging following fetal surgery for open spina bifida.Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology · 2023Article
- A Critical Update of the Classification of Chiari and Chiari-like Malformations.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Review
- Long-Term Imaging Follow-up from the Management of Myelomeningocele Study.AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology · 2023Article
- Antenatal imaging: A pictorial review.World journal of clinical cases · 2022Review
- Prenatal Diagnosis and Outcomes of Cervical Meningocele and Myelomeningocele.Journal of medical ultrasoundReview
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAbnormal intracranial findings are often detected at mid-trimester ultrasound (US) in fetuses with myelomeningocele (MMC). It is unclear whether these findings constitute a spectrum of the disease or are an independent finding, which should contraindicate fetal surgery.
objectiveTo ascertain the spectrum and frequency of US-detected cranial findings in fetuses with MMC. SEARCH STRATEGY: MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science and CENTRAL were searched from January 2000 to June 2020. SELECTION CRITERIA: Study reporting incidence of cranial US findings in consecutive cases of second-trimester fetuses with MMC. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Publication quality was assessed by Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and modified NOS. Meta-analysis could not be performed as a result of high clinical diversity and study heterogeneity. MAIN
resultsFourteen cranial US findings were reported in 15 studies. Findings in classic Chiari II malformation (CIIM) spectrum included posterior fossa funnelling (96%), small transcerebellar diameter (82-96%), 'banana' sign (50-100%), beaked tectum (65%) and 'lemon' sign (53-100%). Additional cranial findings were small biparietal diameter (BPD) and head circumference (HC) (<5th centile; 53 and 71%, respectively), ventriculomegaly (45-89%), abnormal pointed shape of the occipital horn (77-78%), thinning of the posterior cerebrum, perinodular heterotopia (11%), abnormal gyration (3%), corpus callosum disorders (60%) and midline interhemispheric cyst (42%).
conclusionsWe identified 14 cranial findings by second-trimester US in fetuses with MMC. The relatively high incidence of these findings and their unclear prognostic significance might not contraindicate fetal surgery in the case of normal fetal genetic testing. Some cranial findings may independently affect postnatal outcome, however. Long-term detailed follow-up is required to investigate this. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: A high rate of cranial abnormalities found on second-trimester ultrasound in fetuses with myelomeningocele.
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