title: Ultrasound Features and Management of Body Stalk Anomaly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study describes the prenatal diagnosis of body stalk anomaly (BSA) in a large series of affected pregnancies and proposes an algorithm for the differential diagnosis of abdominal wall defects in the first trimester.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective study of all the cases of BSA diagnosed in our tertiary unit between 2009 and 2015. In all cases, we performed a detailed ultrasound examination with particular emphasis on the appearance of the amniotic membrane and content of the amniotic sac and the coelomic cavity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 17 cases of BSA (15 singleton pregnancies, one dichorionic-diamniotic twin pregnancy discordant for BSA and one case of conjoined twins) at a median gestational age of 12+3 (range 11+0 to 16+6) weeks. In all cases, the liver and bowel were herniated into the coelomic cavity and the amniotic sac was intact containing the rest of the fetus with a normal amount of amniotic fluid; additionally, there was severe kyphoscoliosis and positional abnormalities of the lower limbs. The umbilical cord was absent, but umbilical vessels were seen with color Doppler running from the placenta to the fetus marginally to the eviscerated abdominal content.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BSA can be easily diagnosed from 11 weeks' gestation. Examination of the amniotic membrane continuity, content of both the amniotic sac and coelomic cavity and a short umbilical cord help in differentiating this condition from other abdominal wall defects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Fetal Medicine, University College Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Anca Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Panaitescu
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ushakov
authors.forename: Anjali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kalaskar
authors.forename: Pranav P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Pandya
mesh_terms: D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000465:Algorithms; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D005333:Fetus / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D010920:Placenta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging