Whole Genome Analysis by Array-Based Comparative Genomic Hybridization in Patients with Congenital Malformations

Congenital malformations present at delivery of an infant are due to genetic or non genetic factors and occur in 15-20% of stillborn children. Most can be diagnosed prenatally by ultrasound examination, but some can only be diagnosed after birth. Seven to 10% of infants with abnormal phenotype have numerical or structural chromosomal abnormalities that require identification for accurate diagnosis and genetic counseling. Molecular-cytogenetic and array-based techniques have enabled screening at higher resolution for congenital anomalies that result from genomic imbalances. We have examined four children with congenital anomalies, with or without mental retardation, of unclear etiology. In one child, we detected a deletion (about 28 Mb) of the region 18q21.1-18q23, in mosaic form. This abnormality was missed in a routine cytogenetic examination. We detected different polymorphic copy number variations (CNVs) in the other children. We conclude that array-based comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) is a powerful diagnostic tool for the detection of low level mosaicism.