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Three‐dimensional Ultrasonographic Appearance of the Fetal Akinesia Deformation Sequence
Author(s) -
Ruano Rodrigo,
Dumez Yves,
Dommergues Marc
Publication year - 2003
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.2003.22.6.593
Subject(s) - medicine , polyhydramnios , ultrasonography , fetus , ultrasound , arthrogryposis , fetal movement , radiology , anatomy , pregnancy , genetics , biology
Objective . To present the appearance of the fetal akinesia deformation sequence by three‐dimensional ultrasonography after four‐dimensional ultrasonographic scanning. Methods . Three‐dimensional surface‐rendering images were used to show the fixed postural abnormalities of the fetal extremities and body. Four‐dimensional ultrasonography was used to show that the postural abnormalities were fixed and to confirm the absence of fetal movements. These images were compared with the postmortem examination findings. Results . Three‐dimensional ultrasonographic images of 3 cases of fetal akinesia deformation sequence are presented. Surface‐rendering imaging and imaging in the skeletal mode were performed to show the postural abnormalities and the arthrogryposis. Conclusions . Facilitated by polyhydramnios, three‐ and four‐dimensional ultrasonography provided clear images of the fixed postural abnormalities, which were confirmed by postmortem examination. Although prenatal diagnosis can be easily made by conventional ultrasonography, three‐dimensional ultrasonography might be used as a confirmatory approach. In addition, the quality of recent three‐dimensional imaging might help prenatal counseling by providing images more readily understandable to the parents than those obtained by two‐dimensional ultrasonography.