Accurate prenatal diagnosis of complex congenital cardiovascular anomalies, vascular ones in particular, is still challenging. A fetal cardiovascular cast model can provide a copy of the cardiac chambers and great ves...Accurate prenatal diagnosis of complex congenital cardiovascular anomalies, vascular ones in particular, is still challenging. A fetal cardiovascular cast model can provide a copy of the cardiac chambers and great vessels with normal or pathological structures. This study was aimed to demonstrate three-dimensional anatomy of complex congenital cardiovascular anomalies in fetuses by means of corrosion casting. Twenty fetuses with prenatal-ultrasound-diagnosed complex cardiovascular anomalies were enrolled in this study（19 to 35 gestational weeks）. Fetal cardiovascular cast models were made by a corrosion casting technique. The specimens were injected with casting material via the umbilical vein, and then immersed in strong acid after casting fluid was solidified, to disclose the geometries of cardiovascular cavities. Nineteen cast models were successfully made from 20 specimens. The casts distinctly showed the morphological malformations and spatial relationship between cardiac chambers and great vessels. One hundred and eleven abnormalities were revealed by casting in the 19 specimens, including 34 abnormalities located in the cardiac chambers（3, 4 and 27 anomalies in the atria, atrioventricular valves and ventricles, respectively）, and 77 in the great vessels（28, 20, 24 and 5 anomalies in the aorta and its branches, the pulmonary artery, the ductus arteriosus and the major veins, respectively）. Corrosion casting can display three-dimensional anatomy of fetal complex cardiovascular anomalies. This improves our understanding of related pathomorphology and prenatal diagnosis.展开更多
During the past decades,early fetal ultrasound and diagnosis have increasingly gained attention in pregnancy care with the development of high-frequency transducers,which make it possible to obtain detailed images of ...During the past decades,early fetal ultrasound and diagnosis have increasingly gained attention in pregnancy care with the development of high-frequency transducers,which make it possible to obtain detailed images of the early fetus and its organs,and thus move part of the anatomy and anomaly scan from the second to the first-trimester.By transabdominal sonography or transvaginal sonography,or a combination of both approaches,it is now able to diagnose a wide variety of fetal abnormalities at 11-13^(+6)weeks.展开更多
In the last few years,the introduction of cell-free DNA has rapidly altered prenatal screening regimens and is increasingly offered as the second- or,at times,even the first-tier screening test.Should an early anomaly...In the last few years,the introduction of cell-free DNA has rapidly altered prenatal screening regimens and is increasingly offered as the second- or,at times,even the first-tier screening test.Should an early anomaly scan also be part of an up-to-date screening policy? This paper reappraises the value of fetal first-trimester ultrasonography.The primary aims of the first-trimester scan are to establish gestational age based on the measurement of fetal crown-rump length,to detect multiple pregnancy and chorionicity,and to measure fetal nuchal translucency thickness as part of a combined screening test for chromosomal abnormalities.With recent advancements in ultrasound technology,there is compelling evidence that a majority of fetuses with major structural abnormalities and almost half of them without chromosomal abnormalities can be detected in the first trimester.We focused on the first-trimester screening of fetal major defects,especially including fetal congenital heart disease and cleft lip and palate by ultrasound markers and views.Moreover,it is critical to highlight that after a detailed anomaly scan in the first trimester without major structural anomalies and positive genetic tests,the residual chance of favorable outcome in fetuses with isolated increased nuchal translucency is relatively high.The discussion on the role of cell-free DNA in prenatal screening is still ongoing.Even in the event of it becoming a first-line screening test for aneuploidies,the importance of a first-trimester fetal scan,including assessment of markers for other anomalies,remains undisputed.展开更多
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81530056 and No.81501494)Hubei Province Health and Family Planning Scientific Research Project(No.WJ2015MB016)
文摘Accurate prenatal diagnosis of complex congenital cardiovascular anomalies, vascular ones in particular, is still challenging. A fetal cardiovascular cast model can provide a copy of the cardiac chambers and great vessels with normal or pathological structures. This study was aimed to demonstrate three-dimensional anatomy of complex congenital cardiovascular anomalies in fetuses by means of corrosion casting. Twenty fetuses with prenatal-ultrasound-diagnosed complex cardiovascular anomalies were enrolled in this study（19 to 35 gestational weeks）. Fetal cardiovascular cast models were made by a corrosion casting technique. The specimens were injected with casting material via the umbilical vein, and then immersed in strong acid after casting fluid was solidified, to disclose the geometries of cardiovascular cavities. Nineteen cast models were successfully made from 20 specimens. The casts distinctly showed the morphological malformations and spatial relationship between cardiac chambers and great vessels. One hundred and eleven abnormalities were revealed by casting in the 19 specimens, including 34 abnormalities located in the cardiac chambers（3, 4 and 27 anomalies in the atria, atrioventricular valves and ventricles, respectively）, and 77 in the great vessels（28, 20, 24 and 5 anomalies in the aorta and its branches, the pulmonary artery, the ductus arteriosus and the major veins, respectively）. Corrosion casting can display three-dimensional anatomy of fetal complex cardiovascular anomalies. This improves our understanding of related pathomorphology and prenatal diagnosis.
文摘During the past decades,early fetal ultrasound and diagnosis have increasingly gained attention in pregnancy care with the development of high-frequency transducers,which make it possible to obtain detailed images of the early fetus and its organs,and thus move part of the anatomy and anomaly scan from the second to the first-trimester.By transabdominal sonography or transvaginal sonography,or a combination of both approaches,it is now able to diagnose a wide variety of fetal abnormalities at 11-13^(+6)weeks.
文摘In the last few years,the introduction of cell-free DNA has rapidly altered prenatal screening regimens and is increasingly offered as the second- or,at times,even the first-tier screening test.Should an early anomaly scan also be part of an up-to-date screening policy? This paper reappraises the value of fetal first-trimester ultrasonography.The primary aims of the first-trimester scan are to establish gestational age based on the measurement of fetal crown-rump length,to detect multiple pregnancy and chorionicity,and to measure fetal nuchal translucency thickness as part of a combined screening test for chromosomal abnormalities.With recent advancements in ultrasound technology,there is compelling evidence that a majority of fetuses with major structural abnormalities and almost half of them without chromosomal abnormalities can be detected in the first trimester.We focused on the first-trimester screening of fetal major defects,especially including fetal congenital heart disease and cleft lip and palate by ultrasound markers and views.Moreover,it is critical to highlight that after a detailed anomaly scan in the first trimester without major structural anomalies and positive genetic tests,the residual chance of favorable outcome in fetuses with isolated increased nuchal translucency is relatively high.The discussion on the role of cell-free DNA in prenatal screening is still ongoing.Even in the event of it becoming a first-line screening test for aneuploidies,the importance of a first-trimester fetal scan,including assessment of markers for other anomalies,remains undisputed.
