Choroid Plexus Cysts Submitted by Jonathon Dorff, MD
Cyst-like spaces that occur in the
choroid in approximately 1-6% of fetuses between 13 and
24 weeks gestation
Majority are small and incidental,
disappearing by 26 weeks gestation
Thought to represent entrapment of
cerebrospinal fluid within an in-folding of neuroepithelium
May be associated with chromosomal
abnormalities, especially trisomy 18
Likelihood ratio of trisomy 18
with isolated choroid plexus cyst ranges from 0.03 to
13.8 times the mother’s background risk
Trisomy 18 is almost always
associated with other structural abnormalities
When a choroid plexus cyst is
identified
In addition to the routine
anatomic survey, a targeted search for structural
abnormalities should be performed
Amniocentesis should be offered when a fetus has both
a choroid plexus cyst and additional structural
abnormalities
· Rare cases of symptomatic choroid plexus
cysts causing obstructive hydrocephalus have been reported
Two images form an unenhanced axial CT
of the brain show
ring-like calcifications in the region of the choroid plexus representing
choroid plexus cysts
Middleton, William D., etc: Ultrasound: The Requisites, 2nd
edition, 2004.
Rumack, Carol, etc: Diagnostic Ultrasound, 3rd edition,
2005.