title: Fetus acardius: two- and three-dimensional ultrasonographic diagnoses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether ultrasonographic detection of acardiac fetuses and diagnostic accuracy of related malformations improve with complementary use of two-dimensional ultrasonography, three-dimensional ultrasonography, and Doppler scanning.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three pregnant women with multifetal gestations who were found to have discordant fetuses on initial two-dimensional ultrasonographic scanning were subsequently scanned with three-dimensional ultrasonography and color Doppler ultrasonography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although the possibility of acardiac fetuses was entertained in all cases after two-dimensional ultrasonographic scanning, the diagnosis was confirmed, and the accuracy and extent of fetal malformations were established with three-dimensional ultrasonography and color Doppler scanning. Two of the women had twin gestations, and the third woman had a triplet gestation. Among the women with twin gestations, 1 donor twin had no abnormalities, and the other donor twin had a diagnosis of arthrogryposis and gastroschisis. The woman with triplets had 1 acardiac fetus; the donor fetus was anencephalic; and the third fetus had alobar holoprosencephaly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Complementary use of two-dimensional ultrasonography, three-dimensional ultrasonography, and color Doppler scanning improves diagnostic accuracy and the ability to evaluate the extent and severity of organ compromise in pregnancies complicated by acardiac fetuses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Valencia School of Medicine, Spain.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonilla-Musoles
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raga
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Osborne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*