Prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of clubfoot / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of clubfoot and its clinical value.Methods Three thousands pregants ranging gestational age from 12 through 40 weeks were checked using Ascuson Sequoia 512 equipment.The diagnosis of clubfoot was made prospectively at the time of the scan by the following criteria: the ball of foot had to be visible in the same plane as the longitudinal section of bones of the lower leg,unchanging with fetal activity and reproducible for several images.All prenatal ultrasonographic dignoses of clubfoot were proved by autopsy or newborn physical examination.Results A total of 17 cases clubfoot fetuses were prenatal diagnosed by ultrasonography.Fourteen of 17 clubfoot fetuses had associated with complex abnormalities,three of them were isolated clubfoot.Fourteen of 17 cases with clubfoot prenatal diagnosed by ultrasound were proved by autopsy.Another three cases with clubfoot were proved by newborn physical examination,two of them were false positive diagnosis.Conclusions Prenatal diagnosis of clubfoot is reliable by ultrasound.It is helpful in diagnosis with other structural abnormalities associated with clubfoot.It can also provide direction for clinical obstetrical management.