Brain magnetic resonance imaging in Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome

Abstract

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is a rare genetic disorder, which is caused by partial deletion of the short arm of one chromosome 4. Brain magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings are lacking. We report on brain findings in 10 children with WHS. We evaluated the MR imaging films of 10 subjects affected by WHS, which had been confirmed by genetic study. The age range at MR imaging was between 1 month and 9 years. In 9/10 cases enlargement of the third lateral ventricles was present. In 9/10 cases a global reduction of cerebral hemispheres white matter was present. In 10/10 cases diffuse thinning of the corpus callosum was visible; it was severe in 7/10 cases. In 5/10 cases small foci of T (2) hyper intense signal were visible within the subcortical white matter. In three of the six cases studied within the first year of life frontal periventricular cysts were present. In three of the four cases studied after the first year of life a squared shape of the frontal horns of the lateral ventricles was visible. The MR imaging findings reported in WHS cannot be considered pathognomonic of the syndrome, however, they may suggest WHS.