Radiological study of Neural Tube Defects

Abstract

Neural   tube   defects   (NTDs)   are  a  group   of  severe  congenital    abnormalities     result from the failure of closure of anterior neuropore or neural fold .The pattern of inheritance of these complex defects is multifactorial, making  it difficult to identify the underlying causes.
Recent   studies  have  shown   that  the  addition   of  folic  acid  (Vitamin   B9)  to  the  diet  of child-bearing age women may significantly reduce although not eliminate, the incidence of NTDs.
Imaging tests may be  used to help  in detection  of  defects in the  developing  fetuses. These may include: Ultrasonography, MRI and CT scan.
During the period of the work, routine antenatal trans-abdominal  ultrasound examination was  made  for 6720  outpatients’   women  with  missed  period  of  12-36 weeks  in the private clinic   during   the   period   from   september    2014   to  october    2016   in  Baghdad   city.All patients  are  followed  post  deleivry.  Thirty  two  patients  were  diagnosed   as  NTDs sonographically.    Twenty nine cases were terminated  according  to the parent  decision. Post-termination,  MRI and CT scan was performed on 25 cases with anencephaly  and encephalocele to show the extend of the brain tissue and the defect in the skull vault.
Blood  sample   from  200 pregnant   women  was  aspirated   in the  laboratory   for folic  acid estimation. Pregnant woman who taking folic acid preconception  were excluded, Among the cases 82.4% of them were with low folic acid level.
The  frequency  of NTDs  in the  present  work was  0.47%,  the  majority  of  cases was anencephaly  17 (53%) followed by encephalocele  8(25%) and the spina bifida 7(22%).