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Three‐dimensional sonographic determination of normal fetal mandibular and maxillary size during the second half of pregnancy
Author(s) -
Roelfsema N. M.,
Hop W. C. J.,
Wladimiroff J. W.
Publication year - 2006
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.3866
Subject(s) - medicine , maxilla , mandible (arthropod mouthpart) , gestational age , orthodontics , fetus , cephalometry , dentistry , ultrasound , pregnancy , radiology , biology , botany , genetics , genus
Objective To explore the various ways of obtaining fetal maxillary and mandibular size with three‐dimensional (3D) ultrasound, with a view to developing a tool for identifying minor anomalies in the lower facial region. Methods Serial 3D sonographic measurements of the fetal jaws were made in 126 normal singleton pregnancies at 18–34 weeks of gestation for determination of degree of maxillary and mandibular protrusion, maxillary and mandibular corpus lengths, mid‐ and lower facial depths and maxillary and mandibular curvature. In a sub study the reproducibility of the measurements was evaluated. Results The coefficient of variation in the reproducibility study varied between 7.1 and 10.5%. For all parameters except maxillary and mandibular protrusion, there was a significant gestational age‐related increase. Ratios of maxillary/mandibular protrusion, maxillary/mandibular corpus lengths, mid‐/lower facial depths and maxillary/mandibular curvature all showed a significant gestational age‐related decrease, with the most distinct decrease in the mid‐/lower facial depth ratio. Conclusions 3D sonographic measurement of the fetal maxilla and mandible demonstrated an acceptable intraobserver variability for all measurements. The mid‐/lower facial depth ratio appears to be most valuable in determining abnormal mandibular development. Copyright © 2006 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.