Fetal eyeball volume: relationship to gestational age and biparietal diameter

Objective To measure and determine normal values of the fetal eyeball volume between 14 and 40 weeks of gestation. Methods The volume of the fetal eyeball was measured with three‐dimensional ultrasound between 14 and 40 weeks of gestation using the VOCAL software. Only singleton pregnancies without fetal growth restriction, diabetes mellitus, hypertension or major fetal malformation were included. Results Over all, 203 women were studied. In 125 both eyeballs were measured while in 78 only one eyeball was measured. The volume of the eyeball correlated strongly with gestational age (right: R = 0.946, P < 0.001, n = 171. left: R = 0.945, P < 0.001, n = 156), and with the biparietal diameter (BPD) (right: R = 0.949, P < 0.001, n = 171. left: R = 0.953, P < 0.001, n = 156). Using regression analysis the best correlation between eyeball volume and the BPD were: square of right eyeball = −0.180 + 0.187 BPD, square of left eyeball = −0.182 + 0.187 BPD. Conclusions The volume of the eyeball has strong positive correlations with gestational age and BPD. Our data may be helpful in fetuses suspected of having eye anomalies. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.