Brain MRI in CMV-infected pregnancies yielded a 17.5% rate of false positive or inconclusive results, compared to 5% for ultrasound, with similar false negative rates (6.4% vs 5.5%).
Cohort (n=81)
Does adding brain MRI to fetal neurosonography improve diagnostic accuracy in cases of maternal primary CMV infection?
Adding brain MRI to normal neurosonography in CMV-infected fetuses carries a nonnegligible rate of false positive and inconclusive findings.
Absolute Event Rate: 6.4% vs 5.5%
OBJECTIVE: To analyze ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results and developmental outcome in cases of maternal primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection during pregnancy. METHODS: We 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. RESULTS: Eighty-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. CONCLUSIONS: Adding MRI in CMV-infected cases with a normal neurosonographic follow-up should be weighed against a nonnegligible rate of false positive and inconclusive findings.
Birnbaum et al. (Thu,) conducted a cohort in Maternal primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection during pregnancy (n=81). Brain MRI vs. Fetal neurosonography (US) was evaluated on False negative rate (hearing deficits). Brain MRI in CMV-infected pregnancies yielded a 17.5% rate of false positive or inconclusive results, compared to 5% for ultrasound, with similar false negative rates (6.4% vs 5.5%).