Objectives: Although there have been occasional reports of prenatal diagnosis of this syndrome, most cases are diagnosed postnatally. The objective was to evaluate the presence of brain abnormalities in the prenatal diagnosis of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome.
Methods: Prenatal ultrasound and MRI examination of the fetal brain were performed in a case of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. A comprehensive review of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome reported between 1960 and 2000 in the literature was carried out.
Results: The late diagnosis of a growth-retarded fetus with normal amniotic fluid volume, normal Doppler and negative infection screen calls for a detailed examination of the fetal brain and heart. Multifocal white matter lesions and periventricular cystic changes, which are often attributed to perinatal distress, are possible prenatal features causing suspicion of 4p- syndrome in an IUGR fetus.
Conclusion: Subtle abnormalities on ultrasound may suggest a chromosomal problem. Standard cytogenetics cannot always demonstrate a microdeletion. High-resolution banding and molecular analysis can help to confirm the diagnosis.
Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.