The nuchal translucency (NT) scan provides an opportunity to examine fetal anatomy. Current opinion on the advantages and limitations of assessing fetal anatomy at this early gestation is divided. Two case studies from our centre will be presented where assessing fetal anatomy was of great benefit - one in finding abnormalities, the other in excluding them. These cases along with review of the ...

BACKGROUND Previous studies showed that soluble LHCGR/hCG-sLHCGR concentrations in serum or plasma combined with PAPP-A and free βhCG significantly increased the sensitivity of Down's syndrome screen at early pregnancy without altering the false positive rate. The goal of the present study was to further examine the role of sLHCGR forms as combinatorial markers and to investigate whether sLHCGR...

OBJECTIVE To assess clinical measurement competency by two sequential test formulations [resetting sequential probability ratio test (R-SPRT) and learning curve cumulative summation (LC-CUSUM)]. DESIGN Numerical simulation and retrospective observational study. SETTING Obstetric ultrasound department. PARTICIPANTS Cohorts of 10,000 simulated trainees and 62 obstetric sonographers training...

This article reviews the performance of first trimester screening for chromosomal anomalies using various combinations of ultrasound and maternal serum biochemical modalities. Detection rates in excess of 90% can be routinely achieved for Trisomy 21, Trisomy 13, Trisomy 18 using a combination of fetal nuchal translucency (NT) thickness and maternal serum free ss-hCG and PAPP-A at 11 + 0 to 13 +...

The authors consider the possibility of using color Doppler of the ductus venosus and the measurement of nuchal translucency as a screening test for alterations in fetal cardiac functions in the first trimester of gestation. Review of the literature suggests that the combination of the ultrasonographic measurement of nuchal translucency and Doppler at 10 and 14 weeks of gestation can be effecti...

OBJECTIVE To examine the significance of fetal nuchal translucency at 10-14 weeks' gestation in the prediction of abnormal fetal karyotype. DESIGN Prospective screening study. SETTING The Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, King's College Hospital, London. SUBJECTS 827 fetuses undergoing first trimester karyotyping by amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. MAIN OU...

Keyword Down syndrome, Trisomy, Nuchal Translucency, Chromosomal Abnormalities, Gray Level Cooccurrence Matrix(GLCM), Support Vector Machine (SVM) Down syndrome or Trisomy 21 is a genetic disorder which causes mental disability to the baby during the gestation period. Ultrasound scan, a noninvasive test which includes ultrasound fetal image scan for the Nuchal Translucency measurement (NT). Thi...

Twin-twin transfusion syndrome is a major complication of monochorionic twin pregnancies. In foetuses from monochorionic twinning the presence of increased nuchal translucency thickness (NT) has been associated with an increased risk of developing this syndrome. One of the presumed mechanisms of increased NT is early cardiac failure, indirectly indicated by abnormal blood flow in the ductus ven...

OBJECTIVES The cost-effectiveness of opportunistic nuchal translucency ultrasound screening in pregnancy was compared with alternative screening strategies for trisomy 21 in Australia. METHODS A decision analytic model was used of various pregnancy screening strategies based on a systematic review of the literature on the effectiveness of nuchal translucency ultrasound and serum screening and...

Background: Prenatal diagnosis for Fetal Chromosomal anomalies currently relies on assessment of risk followed by a combination of biochemical and nuchal translucency. Trisomy 21 is the most common trisomy that is associated with intellectual disability. Pregnant women who receive a prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 21 currently have the option of continuing or terminating their pregnancy, but no f...