Demonstration of the Pericallosal Artery at 11-13 Weeks of Gestation Using 3D Ultrasound

To assess the sonographic visualization of the pericallosal arteries in normal fetuses at 11-13 weeks of gestation using 3D ultrasound.

We prospectively enrolled women with a singleton pregnancy undergoing ultrasound at 11-13 weeks of gestation. A 3D volume with high-definition power Doppler was acquired starting from the sagittal view of the fetal head and stored in the spatiotemporal image correlation mode. The images of the pericallosal arteries were assigned a score of 0 (no visualization), 1 (visualization of the origin) or 2 (visualization of the whole course). A follow-up scan was performed in all cases at 20 weeks of gestation to assess the presence of the corpus callosum.

70 patients were included and the pericallosal arteries were sonographically detectable in all cases. Image scores of 1 and 2 were obtained in 8 and 62 cases, respectively. The whole length of the vessel was between 3.5 and 4.5 mm. The vast majority of those with a score of 2 were beyond 12 completed weeks of gestation. All fetuses showed a normal corpus callosum at midtrimester and no abnormal brain findings after birth.

The pericallosal arteries are sonographically visible since the first trimester in 3D ultrasound scans of fetuses found to have a normal corpus callosum at follow-up.