Antenatal soft markers on ultrasound
Disclosures
- updated 15 Jul 2022:
Nothing to disclose
Updates to Article Attributes
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was changed:
Antenatal soft ultrasound markers are fetal sonographic findings that are generally not abnormalities as such but are indicative of an increased age adjusted-adjusted risk of an underlying fetal aneuploidic or somecertain non chromosomal-chromosomal abnormalities.
Most of the described features do not constitute a structural defect and may be detected on antenatal screening, typically during a second trimester (anatomy(morphology) scan. Many are transient.
What's is included or not appears to depend on the respective authorities in each region, and remains dynamic, with certain markers periodically emerging, or conversely losing favour.
The following are markers in common use at the time of writing. The list includes features having an association with:
An increased risk of aneuploidy and in some cases non-chromosomal problemsabnormalities
increased nuchal thickness: >
;6fetal ventriculomegaly: >
;;1010mmhypoplastic
/absent/absent nasal bone-
shortened fetal long bones: less than 3rd centile for gestational age
An increased risk of non-chromosomal abnormalities when seen in isolation
fetal pyelectasis/fetal renal pelvic dilatation: antero-posterior diameter of the renal pelvis >
;4-5
Soft markers of undefined association
Correct interpretation of these often requires correlation with other risk factors such as history, maternal age, and maternal serological results.
-<p><strong>Antenatal soft ultrasound markers</strong> are fetal sonographic findings that are generally not abnormalities as such but are indicative of an increased age adjusted risk of an underlying fetal aneuploidic or some non chromosomal abnormalities.</p><p>Most of the described features do not constitute a structural defect and may be detected on <a href="/articles/antenatal-screening">antenatal screening</a>, typically during a second trimester (anatomy) scan. Many are transient.</p><p>What's included or not appears to depend on the respective authorities in each region, and remains dynamic, with certain markers periodically emerging, or conversely losing favour. </p><p>The following are markers in common use at the time of writing. The list includes features having an association with:</p><h5>An increased risk of aneuploidy and in some cases non-chromosomal problems </h5><ul>-<li>increased <a href="/articles/nuchal-fold">nuchal thickness</a>: ><strong>6</strong> mm</li>- +<p><strong>Antenatal soft ultrasound markers</strong> are fetal sonographic findings that are generally not abnormalities as such but are indicative of an increased age-adjusted risk of an underlying fetal <a href="/articles/aneuploidy" title="Aneuploidy">aneuploidic</a> or certain non-chromosomal abnormalities.</p><p>Most of the described features do not constitute a structural defect and may be detected on <a href="/articles/antenatal-screening">antenatal screening</a>, typically during a <a href="/articles/second-trimester-ultrasound-scan" title="Second trimester ultrasound scan">second trimester (morphology) scan</a>. Many are transient.</p><p>What is included or not appears to depend on the respective authorities in each region, and remains dynamic, with certain markers periodically emerging, or conversely losing favour. </p><p>The following are markers in common use at the time of writing. The list includes features having an association with:</p><h5>An increased risk of aneuploidy and in some cases non-chromosomal abnormalities </h5><ul>
- +<li><p>increased <a href="/articles/nuchal-fold">nuchal thickness</a>: >6 mm</p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/fetal-ventriculomegaly">fetal ventriculomegaly</a>: >10<strong> </strong>mm</p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/hypoplastic-nasal-bone" title="Hypoplastic nasal bone">hypoplastic</a>/<a href="/articles/absent-nasal-bone" title="Absent nasal bone">absent</a> nasal bone</p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/echogenic-intracardiac-focus">echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) </a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/choroid-plexus-cyst-antenatal-1">choroid plexus cyst</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/echogenic-fetal-bowel">echogenic bowel</a> </p></li>
-<a href="/articles/fetal-ventriculomegaly">fetal ventriculomegaly</a>: ><strong>10 </strong>mm</li>-<li><a href="/articles/hypoplastic-nasal-bone">hypoplastic/absent nasal bone</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/echogenic-intracardiac-focus">echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) </a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/choroid-plexus-cyst-antenatal-1">choroid plexus cysts</a></li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/echogenic-fetal-bowel">echogenic bowel</a> </li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/shortened-fetal-long-bones">shortened fetal long bones</a>: less than 3<sup>rd</sup> centile for gestational age<ul>-<li><a href="/articles/shortened-femur">shortened femur</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/shortened-fetal-humerus">shortened humerus</a></li>- +<p><a href="/articles/shortened-fetal-long-bones">shortened fetal long bones</a>: less than 3<sup>rd</sup> centile for gestational age</p>
- +<ul>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/shortened-femur">shortened femur</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/shortened-fetal-humerus">shortened humerus</a></p></li>
-<li><a href="/articles/aberrant-right-subclavian-artery">aberrant right subclavian artery</a></li>- +<li><p><a href="/articles/aberrant-right-subclavian-artery">aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA)</a></p></li>
-<li>-<a href="/articles/fetal-pyelectasis">fetal pyelectasis</a>/<a href="/articles/fetal-renal-pelvic-dilatation">fetal renal pelvic dilatation</a>: antero-posterior diameter of the renal pelvis ><strong>4</strong>-<strong>5</strong> mm</li>-<li><a href="/articles/single-umbilical-artery">single umbilical artery (SUA)</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/enlarged-cisterna-magna">enlarged cisterna magna</a></li>- +<li><p><a href="/articles/fetal-pyelectasis">fetal pyelectasis</a>/<a href="/articles/fetal-renal-pelvic-dilatation">fetal renal pelvic dilatation</a>: antero-posterior diameter of the renal pelvis >4-5 mm</p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/single-umbilical-artery">single umbilical artery</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/enlarged-cisterna-magna">enlarged cisterna magna</a></p></li>
-<li><a href="/articles/fetal-clenched-hands">clenched fists </a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/rocker-bottom-foot">Rocker bottom feet </a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/sandal-gap-deformity">sandal gap </a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/strawberry-skull">strawberry shaped skull </a></li>-</ul><p>Correct interpretation of these often requires correlation with other risk factors such as history, maternal age and maternal serological results.</p>- +<li><p><a href="/articles/fetal-clenched-hands">clenched fists</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/rocker-bottom-foot">rocker bottom feet</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/sandal-gap-deformity">sandal gap</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/strawberry-skull">strawberry skull</a></p></li>
- +</ul><p>Correct interpretation of these often requires correlation with other risk factors such as history, maternal age, and maternal serological results.</p>
Images Changes:
Image 1 Ultrasound (Coronal) ( update )
Caption
was changed:
Case 1: showing choroid plexus cyst
Image 2 Ultrasound ( update )
Caption
was changed:
Case 2: showing an echogenic intracardiac focus