title: Early prenatal diagnosis of neural-tube defects by ultrasound-guided fetoscopy.
abstract: In three fetuses with neural-tube defects (N.T.D.s) the lesions were clearly seen by fetoscopy in the second trimester. In a fourth fetus, in which the diagnosis of N.T.D. was suspected because of raised amniotic-fluid alpha-fetoprotein, spina bifida was excluded by fetoscopic examination and a normal baby was delivered at term. Ultrasound-guided fetoscopy has a place in the diagnosis of N.T.D.s when the results of other investigations are conflicting or inconclusive, and may be useful in assessing the severity of a lesion.
mesh_terms: D000649:Amniocentesis; D000757:Anencephaly / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005332:Fetoscopy; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D016136:Spina Bifida Occulta / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014463:Ultrasonography