New 3D and 4D ultrasound, with novel display modalities, havebeen developed to help conventional2D ultrasound examination detect prenatal foetal abnormalities, according to the HKU LKS Faculty of Medecine Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Scans carried out with 3D ultrasoind examination can show multidimensional images helpful for monitoring the growth and detect prenatal structural abnormalities. 4D scans can show real-time pictures foetuses developing, or of cleft lips, limb deformities as well as heart diseases.
Indeed,expectant women with abnormal foetuses would be safer, physically andpsychologically, if they terminated their preganancy at an early stage of gestation.
Doctors relay on prenatal invasive tests to detect foetuses affected by severe thalassemia. The rate of miscarriage during such test is 0.5-1percent. Signs of severe alpha thalassemia can be detected in pregnantwomen with the help of 2D scans. If the scan findings are normal, invasive tests are not required. Figures show a 100 percent detection ratewhen 2D scanners are used. On the other hand, 3D scanners can detect enlargedplacentas. However, non-invasive ultrasound examinations cannot detect severebeta thalassemia in expectant women because abnormal ultrasound findingsare not detectable before birth.
Extract from the health feature by University of Hong Kong.
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