Prenatal three-dimensional ultrasonography in diagnosing fetal renal anomalies

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of prenatal three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound in the diagnosis of fetal renal anomalies. Patients and methods Fifty-four pregnant women with suspected fetal renal anomalies detected during routine two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound screening after 14 weeks of gestation were rescanned by 3D ultrasound to refine the diagnosis of renal anomalies. The prenatal 3D ultrasound findings were then compared with the postnatal sonographic findings. Results The 3D ultrasound provided additional information in 25 anomalies (46.3%) and was equivalent in 29 anomalies (53.7%). The prenatal 3D ultrasound detected 29 cases (53.7%) of parenchymal renal disease, 20 cases (37%) of hydronephrosis, three cases (5.6%) of a single renal cyst, and two cases (3.7%) of megacystis and hydroureter because of a posterior urethral valve. Two extrarenal anomalies (i.e. Arnold–Chiari malformation and talipes equinovarus) were detected only by 3D ultrasound in conjunction with the bilateral two cases of hydronephrosis. Prenatal 3D ultrasound was equivalent to the postnatal ultrasonography finding in 48 out of the 52 live birth cases (92.3%). Conclusion 3D ultrasound can be used in combination with standard 2D ultrasound imaging to increase the diagnostic accuracy and provide more data than that found on 2D ultrasound.