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Is three-dimensional ultrasound adding new for detection of congenital anomalies?
Diaa M. El-Mowafi MD
Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Benha Faculty of Medicine, Egypt
Researcher & Educator, Wayne State University, US
Fellow, Geneva University, Switzerland
Consultant & Head of Department, King Khalid General Hospital, Hafr El-Batin, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Objective: to evaluate the three-dimensional ultrasound (3D US) as a recent method for detection of fetal congenital anomalies in comparison with the traditional 2 D US.
Materials and Methods: Thirty-eight fetuses had been examined with the same equipment containing the traditional 2D US and 3D US. Each fetus had been scanned with one volume probe that has the 2 options; 2D and 3D US. The gestational ages of the examined fetuses were 22-36 weeks.
Results: Seventy-two abnormalities were detected with 2D US, real-time 3D US, or both in 38 fetuses. Of the 72 fetal abnormalities, sixteen (22%) that had not been identified adequately at 2D US were disclosed with real-time 3D US. For eighteen abnormalities (25%) diagnosed at 2D US, real-time 3D US gave further information. Thirty-eight abnormalities (53%) were diagnosed only with 2D US.
Conclusion: Real-time 3D US is useful for evaluating fetal abnormalities as a supplement to 2D US, particularly for abnormalities of the face, head, fingers, and skeleton, but real-time 3D US is unlikely to be helpful for detecting intra-fetal abnormalities except for skeletal abnormalities and some pathologic changes with fluid accumulation. Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research
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