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Fetus acardius: two‐ and three‐dimensional ultrasonographic diagnoses.
Author(s) -
Bonilla-Musoles F,
Machado L E,
Raga F,
Osborne N G
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of ultrasound in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1550-9613
pISSN - 0278-4297
DOI - 10.7863/jum.2001.20.10.1117
Subject(s) - medicine , fetus , gestation , gastroschisis , obstetrics , color doppler , ultrasonography , arthrogryposis , doppler effect , pregnancy , gestational age , radiology , anatomy , genetics , physics , astronomy , biology
To determine whether ultrasonographic detection of acardiac fetuses and diagnostic accuracy of related malformations improve with complementary use of two‐dimensional ultrasonography, three‐dimensional ultrasonography, and Doppler scanning. Three pregnant women with multifetal gestations who were found to have discordant fetuses on initial two‐dimensional ultrasonographic scanning were subsequently scanned with three‐dimensional ultrasonography and color Doppler ultrasonography. Although the possibility of acardiac fetuses was entertained in all cases after two‐dimensional ultrasonographic scanning, the diagnosis was confirmed, and the accuracy and extent of fetal malformations were established with three‐dimensional ultrasonography and color Doppler scanning. Two of the women had twin gestations, and the third woman had a triplet gestation. Among the women with twin gestations, 1 donor twin had no abnormalities, and the other donor twin had a diagnosis of arthrogryposis and gastroschisis. The woman with triplets had 1 acardiac fetus; the donor fetus was anencephalic; and the third fetus had alobar holoprosencephaly. Complementary use of two‐dimensional ultrasonography, three‐dimensional ultrasonography, and color Doppler scanning improves diagnostic accuracy and the ability to evaluate the extent and severity of organ compromise in pregnancies complicated by acardiac fetuses.