The importance of prenatal neuroimaging in prediction of developmental outcome of fetuses infected with cytomegalovirus

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most common viral cause of congenital infection and one of the most common contributors to neurodevelopmental disabilities in children. The physiological condition of the infants at birth is a good predictor of long-term cognitive functioning, while children who manifest clinical symptoms at birth (symptomatic) are more likely to develop future cognitive impairments. Brain imaging studies from prenatal diagnosed children are scant, focusing mainly on fetuses with brain signs of CMV infection. While several studies demonstrate a poor outcome for children with neurosonographic findings during pregnancy, a systematic investigation regarding long-term neurodevelopmental outcome of fetuses infected with CMV, but without fetal ultrasonographic brain findings, has not been reported.