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Accuracy of ultrasound diagnoses in pregnancies complicated by suspected fetal anomalies
Author(s) -
Manchester David K.,
Pretorius Dolores H.,
Avery Carol,
MancoJohnson Michael L.,
Wiggins James,
Meier Paul R.,
Clewell William H.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
prenatal diagnosis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.956
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1097-0223
pISSN - 0197-3851
DOI - 10.1002/pd.1970080205
Subject(s) - medicine , obstetrics , ultrasound , medical diagnosis , prenatal diagnosis , fetus , population , referral , pregnancy , prospective cohort study , prenatal ultrasound , pediatrics , radiology , surgery , environmental health , family medicine , biology , genetics
Abstract Referral of pregnancies complicated by suspected fetal anomalies to level III perinatal centres for further evaluation and management is increasing as use of real‐time ultrasound spreads, but the sensitivity and specificity of the prenatal diagnoses made in this population are unknown. We undertook a prospective study that followed pregnancies referred to a designated programme dealing with suspected fetal abnormalities. Follow‐up of 257 pregnancies revealed that 282 separate anomalies were accurately diagnosed in 212 cases. Normal anatomy was correctly predicted in 42 cases, 16 per cent of the referred population. False‐positive and false‐negative rates were 1·5 per cent (4/257) and 2 per cent (1/46), respectively. However, 37 per cent of those infants born with anomalies had additional problems not prenatally detected by ultrasound. These results indicate that prenatal ultrasound diagnoses are remarkably accurate overall but that they may be insensitive to associated anomalies in individual cases.