Objectives: Fetal face malformations represent one of the most challenging prenatal diagnoses mainly because of the wide range of morphological features involved. We tested an approach based on a combination of conventional two-dimensional ultrasound with the more recent three-dimensional technique plus magnetic resonance imaging, in order to improve parents' understanding of fetal face anomalies, thereby facilitating parent counselling.
Methods: Two cases of fetal facial anomaly were studied using these combined techniques; one had severe micrognathia and malformation of the ears with preauricular tags, while the other had bilateral dacryocystocele and severe hypertelorism.
Results: The images generated by three-dimensional ultrasound enabled the parents to visualize their child immediately and helped them to adjust to the diagnosis of facial defects and its clinical consequences.
Conclusions: An approach based on combined use of different imaging techniques was found useful in both cases.
Copyright 2004 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.