Fetal neurosonography: should it be routine? Should it be detailed?

Collaborative Study on 3‐Dimensional Sonography for the Prenatal Diagnosis of Central Nervous System Defects

“…It is important to identify these midline anomalies of the brain prenatally because they are often frequently associated with other structural malformations, aneuploidy, and genetic diseases 2 , 3 . Investigators have suggested that the sagittal and coronal planes of the fetal brain should be an integral part of fetal CNS studies 4 , 6 . However, visualization of these additional planes requires either a transvaginal approach when enabled by the fetal position or a transabdominal approach with a transfrontal view through the metopic suture.…”

“…An extended study of the fetal CNS anatomy, which includes the addition of sagittal and coronal planes of the fetal brain, may help improve diagnostic efficacy 4 , 5 . However, operator experience has a considerable impact on the quality of CNS imaging and on subsequent prenatal detection rates of major defects 6 …”

Satisfactory rate of post-processing visualization of fetal cerebral axial, sagittal, and coronal planes from three-dimensional volumes acquired in routine second trimester ultrasound practice by sonographers of peripheral centers

“…Therefore, the implementation of fetal brain visualization with the use of sagittal and coronal planes has been suggested as an integral part of the study of fetal CNS [4,6]. However, the visualization of these additional planes requires either a transvaginal approach, when enabled by fetal position, or a transabdominal approach by a transfrontal view through the metopic suture.…”

“…An extended study of fetal CNS anatomy may help improving the diagnostic efficacy by adding sagittal and coronal planes of the fetal brain [4,5] but the operator experience has a significant impact on the quality of CNS imaging and on subsequent prenatal detection rates of major defects [6].…”

Transfrontal three‐dimensional visualization of midline cerebral structures

“…Congenital brain anomalies involving the median structures are difficult to diagnose during fetal life1, 2. This is mainly due to the fact that the standard axial sonographic views used routinely to assess the fetal brain do not display some cerebral structures, most notably the corpus callosum and the cerebellar vermis1–3. The most widely accepted imaging modality for assessing the brain in fetuses in vertex presentation is transvaginal neurosonography4.…”