Congenital megalourethra is a rare disorder characterized by the congenital absence of the corpus spongiosum and/or corpus cavernosum, leading to dilatation of the urethra. We present a case of congenital megalourethra diagnosed by ultrasound examination at 13 weeks of gestation. Transabdominal and transvaginal sonography showed gross megacystis, bilateral hydronephrosis and ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prognostic value of first and early second trimester transvaginal ultrasound findings of fetal cystic hygroma such as volume, presence of septa and associated fetal anomalies or malformations. DESIGN: A prospective study of fetal cystic hygroma volume detected at 10-15 weeks of gestation by transvaginal scan. SUBJECTS: ...

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the detection rate of abnormalities by transvaginal ultrasound in early pregnancy. METHODS: We prospectively analyzed records of 3592 sequential pregnant women at 10-16 weeks' (singleton) gestation (mean 13 weeks and 2 days). After exclusion of 114 women, there were 3478 women in the study. Each woman underwent ...

An unusually echogenic fetal pericardium was visualized using ultrasound at 21 weeks' gestation. Serial prenatal examinations revealed its progressive, spontaneous resolution. Follow-up examinations of the newborn and infant failed to demonstrate any clinical or echocardiographic abnormality. The occurrence of this unusual pericardial abnormality and its transient nature should be considered ...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the amount of change in bone ultrasound measures among pregnant adolescent girls and women and whether that change was associated with adolescence, maternal growth during pregnancy, limited weight gain during pregnancy, hypertension in pregnancy, or poor diet. METHODS: We used bone ultrasound measurements of attenuation and sound ...

This paper describes the neuroimaging and neuropathological findings in five cases of severe brain damage after traumatic mid-trimester amniocentesis, all performed between 1986 and 1994. Although fetal injury after amniocentesis has been reported, reports of brain injury are infrequent. Continuous ultrasound monitoring may reduce the risk of fetal injury but ...

Ultrasound provides an opportunity to visualize the fetus and to assess its response to the intrauterine environment. The topic of fetal ultrasound is broad, and whole textbooks have been devoted to areas such as the diagnosis of anomalies. In an effort to provide current practical information, I have focused on ...

We present three cases of spina bifida during the embryonic period detected by ultrasound before 10 weeks' gestational age. The last-menstrual-period-based ages ranged from 9 weeks 1 day to 9 weeks 4 days and the crown rump lengths ranged from 22 mm to 28 mm. The cases were identified prospectively ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the ability of ultrasound to detect ovaries of normal size during pregnancy METHODS: A prospective study of 329 women with a normal pregnancy course was undertaken; 68 were excluded from analysis because of an enlarged, cystic ovary. Of the remainder, 60 pregnancies were examined in the first ...

AIM: To compare assessment by MR excretory urography (MREU), Doppler ultrasound and isotope renography of women with symptomatic hydronephrosis in pregnancy and to define its cause. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven women at 19-34 weeks of gestation were studied prospectively with gadolinium-enhanced breath-hold gradient echo MREU and transabdominal Doppler ultrasound compared ...

OBJECTIVE: To develop a simple and systematic algorithm to determine chorionicity and amnionicity in the second and third trimester by ultrasound. STUDY DESIGN: The algorithm was constructed based upon years of experience in examining multifetal pregnancies and by adopting the different sonographic signs suggested in the literature. RESULTS: The following ...

Gastroschisis is a congenital anomaly with a reported incidence of 1 in 10,000 live births. Although prenatal diagnosis is more common with the widespread use of biochemical markers and obstetric ultrasound, the role of ultrasound in the identification of the fetus that might need early intervention has not been established. ...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate ultrasound use and exposure in pregnant women undergoing Doppler ultrasound investigation of the maternal and fetal circulation using Doppler ultrasound techniques. METHODS: Sample graphical displays were generated showing duration of each mode, thermal and mechanical index levels and overall elapsed time of scan and modes. RESULTS: The ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the management of pregnancies where the fetus was found to have one or more sonographic markers of possible fetal chromosomal abnormality. DESIGN: Prospective anonymous postal survey of UK obstetric ultrasound units. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The management of pregnancies where the fetus is found to have a sonographic ...

The aim of this study is to evaluate the sonographic characteristics of alobar holoprosencephaly (AH) in utero. Seventeen cases were diagnosed at 16-30 weeks' gestation by two-dimensional and three-dimensional ultrasound from October 1994 to December 1998. In this series, the prenatal prevalence was 1 out of 415 and the detection ...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the ability of the high-frequency transvaginal scanning technique to assess embryo-fetal anatomy in early pregnancy in relation to fetal position and in comparison with transabdominal scan. METHODS: A study population of 1,402 pregnant women were examined by transvaginal ultrasonography performed at 10(+1) to 16(+0) weeks of pregnancy. ...

A woman was referred in the first trimester of her third pregnancy because of a family history of cleidocranial dysplasia. An ultrasound examination at 14 weeks 4 days revealed a fetus with appropriate biometric measurements. However, the clavicles were noted to be hypoplastic and the cranium appeared less well ossified ...

The aim of this study was to determine whether three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound is superior to two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound in evaluating first trimester gestational sac volume (GSV). 130 mainly low risk pregnancies between 5 and 12 weeks gestation were prospectively investigated. The 2D volumetry of GSV was performed using the ellipsoid ...

Congenital fetal abnormalities are major causes of perinatal mortality and morbidity. The performance of ultrasound in the diagnosis and assessment of fetal anomalies varies enormously between tertiary referral centers and general units. Telemedicine offers a chance for tertiary realtime ultrasound consultations using standard telephone lines for remote sites. Preliminary investigations ...

The patient was a 22-year-old woman who had presented in early childhood with gastroesophageal reflux and who subsequently underwent surgery. It was commented upon by the surgeons at that time that the esophagus was abnormally thickened. The patient subsequently presented during her first pregnancy with a vulval tumor, which proved ...

BACKGROUND: Advantages of early pregnancy ultrasound screening are thought to be more accurate calculation of gestational age, earlier identification of multiple pregnancies, and diagnosis of non-viable pregnancies and certain fetal malformations. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this review was to assess the use of routine (screening) ultrasound compared with the selective ...

BACKGROUND: Doppler ultrasound study of umbilical artery waveforms helps identify the compromised fetus in 'high risk' pregnancies and, therefore, deserves assessment as a screening test in 'low risk' pregnancies. One of the main aims of routine antenatal care is to identify the 'at risk' fetus in order to apply clinical ...

OBJECTIVE: To review the literature on the diagnosis, prevalence, and treatment of the septate uterus, with special reference to hysteroscopic metroplasty and its effect on reproductive outcome. DESIGN: Pertinent studies were identified through a computer MEDLINE search. References of selected articles were hand-searched for additional citations. RESULT(S): Reliable diagnosis of ...

OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy of an ultrasound scan at the first antenatal visit. DESIGN: Randomised clinical trial. SETTING: Women's and Children's tertiary level hospital, Adelaide, Australia. POPULATION: Six hundred and forty-eight women attending for their first antenatal visit at less than 17 weeks of gestation who had no previous ...

The interest in studying routine ultrasound in pregnancy has provided useful results that can be applied to practice. There is no consistent evidence of risk caused by ultrasound, neither biologic risk for the fetus nor increased use of health services as a result of ascertained conditions. There is also no ...

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a systematic stream-lined approach could be routinely used in the evaluation of fetal intracranial anatomy. METHODS: Nine thousand six hundred uncomplicated pregnancies were evaluated using a three-level view of fetal brain imaging. An axial scan, which passed through the level of the lateral ventricles, was first ...

In the late-gestation fetal mouse, exposure to piezoelectric lithotripter fields at amplitudes < 1 MPa produced hemorrhages in tissues near developing bone, such as the head and limbs. This study was undertaken to determine if exposure to pulsed ultrasound at diagnostic frequencies produces similar hemorrhages in the late-gestation fetal mouse. ...

A case of alobar holoprosencephaly diagnosed at 10 + 3 weeks' gestation by transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound examination followed by histological confirmation is presented. The diagnosis was based on two sonographic criteria: intracranial finding of a single ventricle with a mantle and no visible midline structures but fusion of the ...

The present paper summarizes some of the epidemiological studies of in utero ultrasound exposure and subsequent childhood development. Emphasis is placed on birthweight, childhood malignancies and neurological development. A meta-analysis, including neurological outcomes such as handedness, speech development, motor development, hearing and vision, is presented. The epidemiological evidence does not ...

OBJECTIVE: To date, there have been no studies on the optimal timing of second-trimester ultrasound screening for fetal abnormalities. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether, of three gestational ages (18, 20 and 22 weeks), any one was associated with a significant advantage in terms of identification of ...

OBJECTIVE: To study the risk of adverse fetal outcome in fetuses that were post-term according to the last menstrual period estimate but not according to the ultrasound estimate. DESIGN: A total of 11,510 women with singleton pregnancies, reliable last menstrual period and delivery after 37 weeks were divided into four ...

Liposuction is a procedure that has been widely used since the 1980s. The introduction of the tumescent technique in 1987 greatly improved the safety of the procedure. Innovative techniques and equip ment modifications have continued to evolve, broadening the scope of application and improving the results that can be obtained. ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the right internal jugular vein (RIJV) with the left internal jugular vein (LIJV) using two-dimensional ultrasound and to measure the response to the Valsalva maneuver in both the supine and Trendelenburg positions. DESIGN: Prospective and randomized. SETTING: University-affiliated hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty healthy ...

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The aim of the study is to show the value and reliability of ultrasound examination in detecting free intraabdominal air after blunt abdominal trauma. METHODS: The experimental part of this study includes the evaluation of the sonographic morphology of air within liquid and solid tissues. Subsequently ...

A 23-year-old woman, gravida 1 parity 0, was referred for routine ultrasound examination at 23 weeks gestation. Fetal anatomy was normal. However, both hands demonstrated clasped thumbs without extension. Repeated ultrasound examination verified the bilateral hands posture. The position of the hands did not change following sound stimulation. The child ...

During the past several decades, the use of ultrasound technology in the clinical setting has greatly increased. Because nearly every pregnant woman receives at least one sonographic procedure today, there has been developing concern about the safety of such procedures. Since ultrasound exposure can result in hyperthermia and other physiological ...

We describe a case of fetal rhabdomyosarcoma detected during the third trimester of pregnancy by prenatal sonography. At 33 weeks' gestation, sonography performed because of suspected polyhydramnios showed a solid mass of 120 x 54 mm arising from the anterior wall of the fetal thoracic cage. Another mass within the ...

OBJECTIVES: To assess the sonographic screening for anencephaly in the first trimester in a low-risk obstetric population. METHODS: Since 1994, 5388 women attended our clinic for a first-trimester scan (11-14 weeks of gestation) and screening for structural and chromosomal abnormalities. The patients underwent transabdominal scanning, and transvaginal scanning if necessary. ...

In this retrospective case control investigation, 51 pregnant patients who were diagnosed by ultrasound with uterine myomas were compared to 102 randomly selected control patients to determine if the ultrasound diagnosis of one or more leiomyoma is associated with increased untoward pregnancy outcomes compared to controls. Women with uterine myomas ...

BACKGROUND: To assess the sensitivity for detection of fetal anomalies by a second trimester ultrasound screening program performed in a way representative of a majority of Swedish obstetrical departments. The examinations were performed at the ultrasound division of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University Hospital of Uppsala, ...

OBJECTIVE: Detection of congenital heart defects by prenatal ultrasound examination has been one of the great challenges since the investigation for fetal anomalies became part of the routine fetal examination. This prospective study was designed to evaluate the concordance of prenatal ultrasound findings with autopsy examination in a population consisting ...

Diagnostic ultrasound has been used for many years with a remarkable history of safety during the standard clinical practice. Introduction of color and pulsed Doppler modes resulted with higher levels of transmitted and absorbed ultrasonic energy. This fact raised the question for the safety of its use in early pregnancy. ...

Advanced-practice (AP) ultrasonography by an AP sonographer or ultrasound practitioner is an emerging allied health profession. The efficacy of this professional in sonographic diagnosis has not been evaluated. This report describes a comparison of the efficacies of diagnosis using a traditional approach and diagnosis by the AP sonographer. Between 1991 ...

Smith-Lemli-Opitz (SLO) syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder comprised of recognizable facial abnormalities, growth retardation, and multiple congenital anomalies, commonly involving genitalia, second and third toe syndactyly, and cleft palate. The condition is associated with hypocholesterolemia and elevated levels of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7DHC) resulting from deficient activity of the enzyme 7-dehydrocholesterol ...

OBJECTIVE: We estimated the effect of ultrasound error and time interval between examinations on the false-positive rate for detecting fetal growth restriction (FGR). METHODS: Using published growth curves for the fetal abdominal circumference and a coefficient of variation for ultrasound error of 5%, computer simulation was used to estimate false-positive ...

The Siberian polecat (Mustela eversmanni) is the preferred species to assess procedures and establish normative values for application in the related and endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes). This study was undertaken to physically, ultrasonographically, and radiographically evaluate fetal development in a spontaneously breeding captive Siberian polecat population. Ultrasonographically, fetal sac ...

Short-rib polydactyly dysplasia (SRP) is an autosomal recessive, lethal skeletal dysplasia. Sonographic assessment of subsequent pregnancies is, therefore, recommended. This case indicates that this diagnosis can be made in the latter part of the first trimester. A 30-year-old multigravid woman presented at 13 weeks' gestation for an ultrasound examination. She ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the importance and evolution of isolated, mild fetal pyelectasis, detected in early pregnancy by high-resolution transvaginal sonography, and to determine its association with abnormal fetal karyotypes. METHODS: Transvaginal scan at 11-16 weeks' gestation and transabdominal ultrasound examinations at the time of amniocentesis (16-18 weeks) were performed in ...

Congenital cataracts can cause irreversible loss of sight unless surgery is performed soon after birth. In the case reported here an obstetric ultrasound detected congenital cataracts in an otherwise normal fetus without any history of familial syndrome, infection or metabolic disorder. The lens opacity was detectable on transabdominal ultrasound at ...

Ultrasound technology offers valuable information when used as a diagnostic tool during a pregnancy at risk for complications. Its use has expanded greatly to uncomplicated pregnancies as a result of expectant parents' desire to see their baby or to know its gender. Many women are having ultrasounds without being given ...