Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 14, Issue 5 335-341, Copyright © 1995 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Imaging the fetal abdomen: how efficacious are the AIUM/ACR guidelines?
D. Levine, P. W. Callen, R. B. Goldstein, N. M. Damato, J. L. Groffsky and R. A. Filly
Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of the American Institute
of Ultrasound in Medicine/American College of Radiology guidelines for the
detection of fetal abdominal abnormalities. In Part 1 of the study, images
from 100 fetuses with sonographically diagnosed abdominal anomalies were
masked except for one view of the abdominal circumference, stomach, renal
area, bladder, and cord insertion. Ninety-six cases were recognized as
abnormal by two sonologists. In Part 2, sonograms of 70 normal fetuses and
30 abnormal fetuses were similarly masked and shown to a sonographer and a
fourth year radiology resident. Each identified 29 of 30 abnormal cases.
Among fetuses with abdominal anomalies detectable at a prenatal diagnostic
center, the majority of abnormal fetuses could be identified by evaluation
of the five AIUM/ACR recommended views.
