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Prenatal ultrasonographic fetal rib length measurement: correlation with gestational age
Author(s) -
Abuhamad A. Z.,
SeduleMurphy S. J.,
Kolm P.,
Youssef H.,
Warsof S. L.,
Evans A. T.
Publication year - 1996
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 - 10.1046/j.1469-0705.1996.07030193.x
Subject(s) - medicine , fetus , gestational age , ultrasound , obstetrics , obstetrics and gynaecology , prospective cohort study , gestation , pregnancy , 3d ultrasound , radiology , biology , genetics
The availability of normal data on fetal rib bone length would be of value in a variety of circumstances under which ultrasound examinations are performed. Fetal rib length measurements were obtained in 257 singleton fetuses in a prospective cross‐sectional study. The study population consisted of pregnancies between 14 and 40 weeks with no evidence of growth disturbances, or structural or karyotypic abnormalities. Fetal rib length, as a function of gestational age, was expressed by the regression equation: RL = −0.5834 + 0.2030 (GA), where RL is the rib length in centimeters and GA the gestational age in weeks. The correlation was R = 0.94 ( p < 0.0001). The normal limits of fetal rib length are defined, and a high correlation between fetal rib length, gestational age, and other standard determinants of fetal growth is demonstrated. Our results indicate that fetal rib length can be a useful adjunct in determining normal fetal growth and in the management of the pregnancy with fetal skeletal dysplasia. Copyright © 1996 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology