# Emanuel Syndrome: A Case Report With Isolated Nuchal Translucency Thickening

## TL;DR

This paper reports a case of Emanuel syndrome where increased nuchal translucency was the only prenatal sign, suggesting it could be a potential early marker for the condition.

## Contribution

The paper highlights isolated nuchal translucency thickening as a possible prenatal indicator of Emanuel syndrome.

## Key findings

- Emanuel syndrome was diagnosed postnatally with no prenatal structural defects detected.
- Nuchal translucency thickening was observed in the first trimester as the only prenatal marker.
- The case suggests the need for larger studies to assess the predictive value of nuchal translucency in Emanuel syndrome.

## Abstract

Emanuel syndrome is a rare chromosomal disorder characterized by severe developmental disability and variable clinical manifestations. Although congenital anomalies are relatively common, there is no pathognomonic prenatal pattern. In some cases, structural defects are absent or not detectable prenatally, making the potential role of soft ultrasound markers particularly relevant.

We report a case of Emanuel syndrome in which no structural malformations were identified prenatally. First-trimester ultrasound revealed an isolated increased nuchal translucency of 3.2 mm. Postnatally, the infant exhibited severe hypotonia, dysmorphic features, and profound developmental delay, but no gross structural defects were observed. Cytogenetic and FISH analyses confirmed an additional der(22)t(11; 22) chromosome inherited from the mother.

A review of the limited literature on first-trimester findings suggests that increased nuchal translucency has been observed in several cases of Emanuel syndrome, although the available data remain insufficient to assess predictive value. Nevertheless, the recurrence of this observation across independent reports indicates that NT enlargement may warrant attention as a potential prenatal marker.

While current evidence is insufficient to draw definitive conclusions, this case highlights that isolated NT thickening may represent the only prenatal sign of Emanuel syndrome. Evaluation in larger cohorts and future prospective studies will be essential to determine the sensitivity and specificity of this marker for early diagnosis of the syndrome and the timely identification of balanced translocation carriers.