Abstract

Background

Mid trimester scans in specific have become a standard part of antenatal care. Soft markers are reported to be present in approaching 11-14% of all second trimester ultrasound scanning

Aim of the Work

Detection of the soft markers and evaluating the benefit of each ultrasound soft marker and identify if there is a specific soft marker should be looked for standard on ultrasound scanning.

Patients and Methods

Routine 16-24 weeks of gestational scan had been performed at the outpatient clinic radiological department to detect all soft markers. Patients had been followed up and chromosomal karyotyping done for the new born to confirm the final diagnosis. Generally studied soft markers included fetal ventricomegaly, choroid plexus cysts, absent or hypo plastic nasal bone, thickened nuchal fold, intracardiac echogenic focus, short long bones, single umbilical artery, echogenic bowel and pyelectasis.

Results

As regards the validity of different soft markers in the detection of aneuploidy in this study we found that the existence of two soft markers or more had the highest sensitivity 66.7%, NVP 92.0%, inter cardiac echogenic foci had the highest specificity100 % &= PPV 100%, NPV 87.2%, followed by large choroid plexus's cyst NVP 87.9%, Specificity 85.3%.

Conclusion

We establish a relation between ultrasonic soft markers and post natal aneuploidy. Maternal age ≥35.0 years had highest balanced characteristics of diagnosis, followed by having two or more signs & positive history of consanguinity.

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