title: Prenatal diagnosis of fetal acrania using three-dimensional ultrasound.
abstract: Fetal acrania is uniformly lethal and termination is suggested whenever the diagnosis is made. Traditionally, the diagnostic tool was 2-D ultrasound (US). In this series, we report our work of detecting acrania using 3-D US. We reviewed our medical records of prenatal diagnosis on fetal acrania in National Cheng Kung University Hospital from May 1997 to December 2002. All the cases were scanned by a 3-D US scanner. In total, 29 cases of fetal acrania were diagnosed. The range of gestational age at prenatal diagnosis by US was between 11 and 21 weeks and 44% were depicted in the first trimester. Among them, 93.1% were isolated findings, and one was associated with trisomy 18. Comparing with previous literature, 3-D US can detect fetal acrania as early as 2-D US, and it also can provide additional vivid illustration after various modes of reconstruction, which 2-D US cannot. In conclusion, 3-D US may contribute to early detection of fetal acrania and provide a novel visual depiction of this defect after reconstruction; thus, assists substantially in diagnosis as well as consultation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Cheng Kung University Medical College and Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: I-Feng
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chiung-Hsin
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Chen-Hsiang
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yueh-Chin
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Fong-Ming
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008423:Maternal Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012886:Skull / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*