Mickey Mouse sign (anencephaly)
Last revised by Reabal Najjar on 13 Nov 2022
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Botz B, Najjar R, Mickey Mouse sign (anencephaly). Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 24 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-99323
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rID:
99323
Article created:
26 Apr 2022,
Bálint Botz ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Bálint Botz had no recorded disclosures.
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Last revised:
13 Nov 2022,
Reabal Najjar ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Reabal Najjar had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Reabal Najjar's current disclosures
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The Mickey Mouse sign in obstetric ultrasound denotes the characteristic "floating appearance" of the fetal cerebral lobes due to the absence of the cranium due to anencephaly.
Radiographic features
The sign is best seen in the coronal plane (in relation to the fetal head), where the cerebral lobes are seen floating in the amniotic fluid above the orbits (like the ears of the mouse). According to one study this sign was present in 5 out of 6 anencephalic fetuses diagnosed between 12-14 weeks of gestation 1,2.
References
- 1. Chatzipapas I, Whitlow B, Economides D. The 'Mickey Mouse' Sign and the Diagnosis of Anencephaly in Early Pregnancy. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 1999;13(3):196-9. doi:10.1046/j.1469-0705.1999.13030196.x - Pubmed
- 2. Hall J, Denne N, Minardi J, Williams D, Balcik B. Check the Head: Emergency Ultrasound Diagnosis of Fetal Anencephaly. West J Emerg Med. 2016;17(4):460-3. doi:10.5811/westjem.2016.5.30326 - Pubmed
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