Prenatal diagnosis of cloverleaf skull: watch the hands!

Pfeiffer syndrome is an extremely rare autosomal-dominant condition whose prenatal diagnosis has only been reported 6 times, mainly on the basis of a fetal cloverleaf skull deformity. Three types have been described, each with a different prognosis. This case report stresses the need to thoroughly analyze the fetus and particularly the fetal hands in case of prenatal observation of a cloverleaf skull. The discovery of characteristic hand abnormalities allowed the early prenatal detection of type 2 Pfeiffer syndrome in our patient. (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.