Three-dimensional sonographic features of Hydrops fetalis.
OBJECTIVE
To describe three-dimensional (3-D) sonographic features of hydrops fetalis.


METHODS
A total of 6 cases with hydrops fetalis from 15 to 32 weeks of gestation were studied with transabdominal 3-D sonography (3.5 MHz).


RESULTS
Before around 20 weeks of gestation, the skin becomes a transparent-like structure, so internal organs can be clearly identified. After 25 weeks, skin edema, pleural effusion, and ascites were well depicted. In the case with pleural effusion, hypoplastic lungs were clearly recognized.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that 3-D sonography provides a novel means of visualizing hydrops fetalis in utero.
Hata
T
T
Department of Perinatology, Kagawa Medical University, Kagawa, Japan.
Yanagihara
T
T
Matsumoto
M
M
Hanaoka
U
U
Maesato
T
T
Tanaka
Y
Y
Kuno
A
A
Akiyama
M
M
Yamashiro
C
C
Ohnishi
Y
Y
Tanaka
H
H
Hayashi
K
K
Yamada
Y
Y
D001201:Ascites / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004487:Edema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015160:Hydrops Fetalis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011247:Pregnancy; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*