Abdominal wall defects: two- versus three-dimensional ultrasonographic diagnosis

We diagnosed 12 cases of abdominal wall defects. The cases diagnosed occurred in 6 fetuses with omphalocele, 3 with gastroschisis, 2 with prune-belly syndrome, and 1 with pentalogy of Cantrell. Except for 1 case of gastroschisis first diagnosed on the basis of three-dimensional ultrasonography at 14 weeks' gestation, all cases were first detected by two-dimensional transabdominal ultrasonography and then reevaluated with three-dimensional ultrasonography using multiplanar and orthogonal plane modes. Although the original diagnosis was accurate on the basis of two-dimensional ultrasonography in 11 of 12 cases, additional information was obtained by three-dimensional scanning in all cases. Our experience suggests that in cases in which abdominal wall defects are first detected by two-dimensional ultrasonographic scanning, the additional information gained by complementary three-dimensional ultrasonographic scanning can be useful for more-efficient counseling and postnatal therapeutic planning.