ultrasound diagnosis of fatal anomalies

SOFT MARKERS OF CHROMOSOMAL ABERRATIONS
Fig. 10.14 Single umbilical artery. A single umbilical
artery is seen running on one side of the fetal urinary
bladder; there is aplasia of the contralateral
artery.
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References
Aoki S, Hata T, Ariyuki Y, Makihara K, Hata K, Kitao M.
Antenatal diagnosis of aberrant umbilical vessels.
Gynecol Obstet Invest 1997; 43: 232–5.
Barr M Jr. Organ asymmetries as correlates of other
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White Spot (Echogenic Focus within the Heart)
Definition and clinical significance: Echogenic
focus in the right ventricle, left ventricle, or both,
appearing as an isolated focus or as a group of
foci. These white spots have no functional significance
and usually disappear in the third
trimester. According to reports, these spots are
considered to be a marker for chromosomal aberration,
raising the risk slightly for Down syndrome
and other genetic disorders.
Incidence: 2.0–7.4% of fetuses in the second
trimester.
Nyberg DA, Shepard T, Mack LA, Hirsch J, Luthy D, Fitzsimmons
J. Significance of a single umbilical artery in
fetuses with central nervous system malformations.
J Ultrasound Med 1988; 7: 265–73.
Persutte WH, Hobbins J. Single umbilical artery: a clinical
enigma in modern prenatal diagnosis. Ultrasound
Obstet Gynecol 1995; 6: 216–29.
Pierce BT, Dance VD, Wagner RK, Apodaca CC, Nielsen
PE, Calhoun BC. Perinatal outcome following fetal
single umbilical artery diagnosis. J Matern Fetal Med
2001; 10: 59–63.
Raio L, Saile G, Bruhwiler H. Discordant umbilical cord
arteries: prenatal diagnosis and significance. Ultraschall
Med 1997; 18: 229–32.
Sepulveda WH. Antenatal sonographic detection of
single umbilical artery. J Perinat Med 1991; 19: 391–
5.
Wu MH, Chang FM, Shen MR, et al. Prenatal sonographic
diagnosis of single umbilical artery. J Clin Ultrasound
1997; 25: 425–30.
Embryology: These white spots represent microcalcifications
in the papillary muscles and in
the chordae tendineae at the mitral and tricuspid
valves. In the course of the pregnancy,
they usually disappear spontaneously.
Ultrasound findings: Echogenic areas are seen in
the right or the left cardiac ventricles. They may
be isolated or grouped findings. Detection depends
on the level of contrast and the general
sensitivity of the ultrasound apparatus. The
echogenicity is as high as that of bone, and the
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