Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 9, Issue 10 555-557, Copyright © 1990 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Coronal biparietal diameter. A reliable alternative to the traditional transverse biparietal diameter
J. W. Goldkrand, T. Kuhlman, E. Fox and B. M. Foggo
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Albany Medical Center, New York.
The traditional ultrasonically derived fetal biparietal diameter (BPD) is
important in the determination of fetal age, weight, and growth. This
measure cannot be obtained, however, with direct occiput anterior or
posterior or with a head in the pelvis. This study looked at the BPD
utilizing coronal (anatomically at right angles to the traditional BPD
through the thalami, third ventricle, and cavum septum pellucidum) rather
than transverse section through the fetal head. In 265 patients at 14 to 41
weeks' gestation, simultaneous measurement of the coronal and transverse
BPDs revealed that they were interchangeable (r = 0.99). The major drawback
of the coronal BPD is the inability to obtain a head circumference because
of the absence of the occipitofrontal diameter.
