[Cysts of the choroid plexus: personal experience]. / Cisti dei plessi corioidei. Nostra esperienza.

Twenty-six cases of fetal choroid plexus cysts were diagnosed using ultrasonography at the Ultrasound Out-patients clinic of the University of Turin during the period 1989-1991. In 21 of these cases fetal karyotype was ascertained since, as has been reported in the literature, cysts of the choroid plexus may be associated with an anomalous karyotype (trisome 18 or 21). One of the 21 cases had an altered karyotype (trisome 21) (4.2%). The Authors stress the importance of a detailed ultrasound study of fetal morphology since, in the presence of structural anomalies, the incidence of trisome 18 is much higher. On the basis of these data, prenatal diagnosis in the event of the echographic presence of choroid plexus cysts appears to be valid since the risk of chromosome anomalies is much higher than in 35-year-old women.

[Massive subchorionic fibrin deposit: echographic diagnosis]. / Deposito massivo subcoriale di fibrina: diagnosi ecografica.

Intra-placental sub-chorionic fibrin deposition is a frequent finding but generally does not involve alterations of hemodynamics or the organ's gaseous metabolism. If the deposition is massive, as in the two cases reported here, delayed fetal growth may occur due to altered placental function. Diagnosis using ultrasound is useful both to identify fibrin plaques and to identify possible fetal hypo-development.