Comparison of six sonographic signs in the prenatal diagnosis of spina bifida
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Vincenzo D'Addario
Abstract
Aims: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of sonographic signs that may be looked for in fetuses with spina bifida.
Methods: Forty-nine fetuses affected by spina bifida were enrolled, at a gestational age of 18–28 weeks. The following sonographic signs were looked for: “lemon” sign, small cerebellum, effaced cisterna magna, small posterior fossa, ventriculomegaly and direct visualization of a spinal defect.
Results: The “lemon” sign was present in 53%, a small cerebellum in 96%, an effaced cisterna magna in 93%, a small posterior fossa in 96%. Ventriculomegaly was present in 40/49 (81%) cases and was severe in 20 fetuses and borderline in the remaining 20. The spinal defect was missed in one fetus presenting the cerebellar and posterior fossa signs. In two fetusus, the myelomeningocele was present without cranial signs of Chiari II malformation and in both cases the defect was covered by intact skin.
Conclusions: Our results confirm the usefulness of evaluation of the posterior fossa in the diagnosis of spina bifida, particularly in cases of small spinal defects that may be missed at ultrasound. Conversely, myelomeningocele covered by intact skin was not associated with the cranial signs of Chiari II malformation.
©2008 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin New York
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Articles in the same Issue
- Editorial
- Does globalization and change demand a different kind of perinatal research?
- Recommendations and guidelines for perinatal practice
- Intrauterine restriction (IUGR)
- Review article
- The role of antioxidant vitamins in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy
- Original articles – Obstetrics
- The fetus, not the mother, elicits maternal immunologic rejection: lessons from discordant dizygotic twin placentas
- Do risk factors for elective cesarean section differ from those of cesarean section during labor in low risk pregnancies?
- Obstetric antecedents for preterm delivery
- Post-delivery oxidative stress in women with preeclampsia or IUGR
- Evidence supporting proteolytic cleavage of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) protein in amniotic fluid
- Original articles – Fetus
- Value of a single early third trimester fetal biometry for the prediction of birth weight deviations in a low risk population
- Comparison of six sonographic signs in the prenatal diagnosis of spina bifida
- Original articles – Newborn
- Relationships between umbilical cord arterial blood pH levels at delivery and Bayley Psychomotor Development Index scores in early childhood
- Head circumference and long-term outcome in small-for-gestational age infants
- Hypocalcemia is common in the first 48 h of life in ELBW infants
- Total body water in small- and appropriate- for gestational age newborns
- Below median birth weight in appropriate-for-gestational-age preterm infants as a risk factor for bronchopulmonary dysplasia
- Letter to the editor
- Congenital lupus erythematosus affecting both twins
- Obituary Gösta Rooth
- The death of Prof. Gösta Rooth
- Erratum
- Hematological profile of Korean very low birth weight infants
- Congress Calander
- Congress Calendar
- Announcement
- Announcement
