JUM
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Rosati, P.
Right arrow Articles by Guariglia, L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Rosati, P.
Right arrow Articles by Guariglia, L.
© 2003 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
J Ultrasound Med 22:1201-1205 • 0278-4297

Early Transvaginal Fetal Orbital Measurements

A Screening Tool for Aneuploidy?

Paolo Rosati, MD and Lorenzo Guariglia, MD

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Lorenzo Guariglia, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy. E-mail: lguariglia{at}libero.it.

Objective. To assess whether simple biometric parameters such as orbital diameters measured in early pregnancy by transvaginal sonography can be used as screening tools for aneuploid fetuses. Methods. The study group consisted of 2771 fetuses of pregnant women referred to our center for genetic amniocentesis and examined by transvaginal sonography between 11 and 16 weeks’ gestation. Karyotypes were normal in 2717 fetuses, and 54 fetuses were aneuploid. Individual values for the aneuploid fetuses were compared with normative data obtained previously for single orbital measurements (interocular and binocular distance) versus gestational age and head measurements. Results. The orbital diameters were within the normal range in the cases with trisomy 21, gonosomal aberrations, trisomy 18, and unbalanced anomalies. Three of the 4 fetuses with trisomy 13 had hypotelorism, confirmed later at autopsy in 2 cases and after delivery in 1 case. Conclusions. With regard to the small number of cases, our data suggest that ocular biometric parameters may be useful sonographic markers for trisomy 13, even if further evaluation is needed.

Key Words: aneuploidies • orbits • prenatal diagnosis • transvaginal sonography

Abbreviations: BOD, binocular distance • BPD, biparietal diameter • HC, head circumference • IOD, interocular distance

HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2003 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.