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Three- and 4-dimensional ultrasound in obstetric practice: does it help?
Luís F Gonçalves1, Wesley Lee, Jimmy Espinoza
1Perinatology Research Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Wayne State University/Hutzel Women's Hospital, 3990 John R, Box 4, Detroit MI 48201 USA.
Summary
Three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) offers enhanced diagnostic value in obstetrics, particularly for identifying facial clefts, neural tube defects, and skeletal malformations. Further research is needed to clarify its role in diagnosing congenital heart and central nervous system anomalies.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Fetal Medicine
Background:
- Two-dimensional ultrasound (2DUS) is the standard for obstetric imaging.
- Advancements in ultrasound technology have led to three-dimensional (3DUS) and four-dimensional (4DUS) imaging.
- The added diagnostic value of 3DUS/4DUS over 2DUS in obstetrics requires clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing literature on 3DUS and 4DUS in obstetrics.
- To determine if 3DUS provides diagnostic information beyond 2DUS.
- To identify specific areas where 3DUS offers diagnostic advantages.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive PubMed search was performed for articles on 3DUS and 4DUS in obstetrics.
- Seven hundred six articles were identified, with 525 relevant to the review.
- Included articles covered technical developments, clinical studies, reviews, and fetal behavior studies.
Main Results:
- 3DUS provides additional diagnostic information for facial anomalies, notably facial clefts.
- Evidence suggests 3DUS is beneficial for diagnosing neural tube defects and skeletal malformations.
- Studies comparing 2DUS and 3DUS for congenital anomaly diagnosis have yielded inconclusive results.
Conclusions:
- 3DUS enhances the diagnosis of facial anomalies, neural tube defects, and skeletal malformations.
- More research is necessary to establish the role of 3DUS/4DUS in diagnosing congenital heart disease and CNS anomalies.
- Future studies should assess the utility of volume datasets for fetal biometry and anomaly detection.