Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 17, Issue 7 419-425, Copyright © 1998 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
First-trimester neck abnormalities: three-dimensional evaluation
F. Bonilla-Musoles, F. Raga, A. Villalobos, J. Blanes and N. G. Osborne
Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecologia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, Spain.
In order to study the first trimester ultrasonographic differences between
nuchal translucency and hygroma colli, we rescanned 25 fetuses (13 with
nuchal translucency and 12 with hygroma colli) using transvaginal and
three-dimensional ultrasonography, after obtaining a fetal karyotype
report. Our objective was to test the premise that the different
physiopathologic mechanisms of both processes would be reflected in
detectable sonographic differences. Our retrospective analysis showed that
the most striking ultrasonographic difference was the presence of bullae as
well as greater irregularity, extent, and amplitude of the membrane in
cases of hygroma colli. Fetuses with simple nuchal translucency had a more
homogeneous linear membrane. Although detailed analysis was impossible in
30% of cases, we found three-dimensional ultrasonography to be a useful
technique for establishing the differences between these two entities.
