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Early transvaginal measurement of transcerebellar diameter in Down syndrome
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
Objective:
To evaluate the screening utility of early transvaginal measurement of the transverse cerebellar diameter for identification of Down syndrome fetuses.
Method:
Measurements of the transverse cerebellar diameter were obtained by transvaginal sonography between 11 and 16 weeks of gestation in 544 fetuses with a normal karyotype and in 37 Down syndrome fetuses.
Results:
The transverse cerebellar diameter was found to show a fairly constant increment of values throughout the period evaluated with a linear relationship to the gestational age. The measurements obtained in Down syndrome fetuses are within the normal range for gestational age.
Conclusion:
The transverse cerebellar diameter cannot be considered a useful tool in the detection of Down syndrome in early pregnancy.