The Role of Fetal MRI in the Evaluation of Ventriculomegaly: A Scoping Review.

ReviewChildren (Basel, Switzerland)· Jul 2026

The Role of Fetal MRI in the Evaluation of Ventriculomegaly: A Scoping Review.

Annabella Lewis, Nadia Badawi, Rod Hunt … Hannah Dalrymple

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Pediatric RadiologyReviewPrognosisQ1IF 2.8

Additional brain anomalies on fetal MRI linked to higher odds of neurodevelopmental problems

The Role of Fetal MRI in the Evaluation of Ventriculomegaly: A Scoping Review.

Annabella Lewis … Hannah Dalrymple

Children (Basel, Switzerland) · Jul 2026

Background

Fetal MRI is used increasingly to detect fetal brain anomalies despite limited high-quality evidence.

Methods

This scoping review followed JBI guidelines.

n = 1027 cases

Results

additional brain anomalies on fetal MRI sharply raise odds of neurodevelopmental problems

OR 6.40 (95% CI 4.02 to 10.20)

null 1

4.02

10.20

CI excludes the null - significant

More results

It yielded additional or different imaging findings to US in 60.1%.

Fetal results differed from neonatal MRI in 52.8%.

About 69.1% of fetuses were liveborn, 28.9% were terminated and 1.9% died in utero.

Postnatal neurosurgery was common after severe ventriculomegaly (36.7%).

“

Conclusion · 1 of 2

Fetal MRI may contribute to neurodevelopmental prognostication in fetal ventriculomegaly in conjunction with other investigations.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

Available evidence is of mixed quality with variable reporting, relying on retrospective studies and non-standardized outcome measures. Long-term prospective studies are required.

The Role of Fetal MRI in the Evaluation of Ventriculomegaly: A Scoping Review.

The Role of Fetal MRI in the Evaluation of Ventriculomegaly: A Scoping Review.

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