Delayed prenatal development of the Insula Lobe in SGA fetuses at 2D ultrasonography: a perspective-changing retrospective study

Objective to evaluate by two-dimensional ultrasound (2D-US) whether there is a difference in the development of the Insula Lobe (IL), the Sylvian Fissure (SF) and/or the SF-ratio [1] between appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) fetuses and small for gestational age (SGA) fetuses.

Methods a retrospective study was conducted by measuring the IL, SF and SF ratio in 137 SGA-births between 20 and 36 weeks of gestational age (GA), with and without Doppler abnormalities and comparing it to published reference values for AGA cases [1].

Results a significant different development of the IL (p=0,025) was observed for SGA compared with AGA-fetuses. No statistically significant differences were found comparing subgroups without (constitutional SGA) or with Doppler abnormalities (pathological SGA).

Conclusion we found a delayed development of the IL in SGA, independently on its constitutional or pathological origin, in comparison with AGA-fetuses at prenatal 2D-US. This finding Further studies, assessing also later cognitive and psychomotor development, are encouraged to address this issue.

Abb. 1

Abb. 1

Publication History

Article published online:
26 November 2021

• References

• 1 Spinelli M, Sica C, Ghezzi F. et al. Nomograms of the fetal Sylvian fissure and Insular lobe throughout gestation: a multicentric, ultrasonographic cross-sectional study. Fetal Diagn Ther 2018; 45: 325-331