Demonstration of the Pericallosal Artery at 11-13 Weeks of Gestation Using 3D Ultrasound.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the sonographic visualization of the pericallosal arteries in normal fetuses at 11-13 weeks of gestation using 3D ultrasound.


METHODS
We prospectively enrolled women with a singleton pregnancy undergoing ultrasound at 11-13 weeks of gestation. A 3D volume with high-definition power Doppler was acquired starting from the sagittal view of the fetal head and stored in the spatiotemporal image correlation mode. The images of the pericallosal arteries were assigned a score of 0 (no visualization), 1 (visualization of the origin) or 2 (visualization of the whole course). A follow-up scan was performed in all cases at 20 weeks of gestation to assess the presence of the corpus callosum.


RESULTS
70 patients were included and the pericallosal arteries were sonographically detectable in all cases. Image scores of 1 and 2 were obtained in 8 and 62 cases, respectively. The whole length of the vessel was between 3.5 and 4.5 mm. The vast majority of those with a score of 2 were beyond 12 completed weeks of gestation. All fetuses showed a normal corpus callosum at midtrimester and no abnormal brain findings after birth.


CONCLUSIONS
The pericallosal arteries are sonographically visible since the first trimester in 3D ultrasound scans of fetuses found to have a normal corpus callosum at follow-up.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Valduce Hospital, Como, Italy.
Roberto
R
Conturso
Elena
E
Contro
Federica
F
Bellussi
Aly
A
Youssef
Giuseppina
G
Pacella
Federica
F
Martelli
Nicola
N
Rizzo
Gianluigi
G
Pilu
Tullio
T
Ghi
D001158:Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal