Three-dimensional and four-dimensional ultrasound applications in fetal medicine

To describe the state of the science of three-dimensional/four-dimensional ultrasound (3D/4DUS) applications to fetal medicine.

3D/4DUS applications are many and varied. Their use in fetal medicine varies with the nature of the tissue to be imaged and the challenges each organ system presents, versus the advantages of each ultrasound application. We will here describe the research and clinical use of 3D/4DUS applications in fetal medicine today, as they are applied to greatest benefit to various organ systems.

3D/4DUS has been extensively applied to the study of the fetus. Fetal applications include all types of anatomical assessment, morphometry and volumetry, as well as functional assessment. 3D/4DUS provides many advantages in fetal imaging; however, its contribution to improving the accuracy of fetal scanning over rates achieved with 2DUS, remains to be established.