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Comparison of fetal nasal bone assessment by ultrasound at 11–14 weeks and by postmortem X‐ray in trisomy 21: a prospective observational study
Author(s) -
Larose C.,
Massoc P.,
Hillion Y.,
Bernard J. P.,
Ville Y.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.202
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1469-0705
pISSN - 0960-7692
DOI - 10.1002/uog.169
Subject(s) - nasal bone , medicine , trisomy , fetus , ultrasound , obstetrics , pregnancy , anatomy , radiology , genetics , biology
Objective To compare nasal bone assessment by ultrasound examination at 11–14 weeks' gestation and postmortem X‐ray examination in fetuses with trisomy 21. Methods Twenty‐one fetuses with trisomy 21 which had undergone sonographic examination at 11–14 weeks for measurement of nuchal translucency thickness and assessment of the nasal bones were examined by postmortem X‐ray following termination of pregnancy. Results The nasal bones were absent in 11/21 (52.4%) fetuses on ultrasound examination at 11–14 weeks and in 10/21 (47.6%) fetuses on X‐ray examination at 14 to 25 + 5 weeks. Ultrasound and X‐ray findings were discordant in 9/21 (42.9%) cases. Eight of 11 (72.7%) fetuses with absent nasal bones on ultrasound examination had a nuchal translucency thickness > 95 th centile. Conclusion The high incidence of absent nasal bones in first‐trimester fetuses with trisomy 21 is compatible with a developmental delay. Prior to inclusion of nasal bone assessment into risk calculation for trisomy 21, the independence of absence of nasal bones by ultrasound and increased nuchal translucency above the 95 th centile at 11–14 weeks should be investigated more extensively. Copyright © 2003 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.