[The reliability of prenatal echographic studies of neural tube defects; a prospective study]. / De betrouwbaarheid van antenatale echografische diagnostiek van neurale-buisdefecten; een prospectief onderzoek.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy of antenatal ultrasound investigation in the detection of neural tube defects. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: University Hospital Utrecht. METHOD: Specific ultrasound investigation was carried out in 739 patients at risk for carrying a fetus with a neural tube defect. RESULTS: The sensitivity of ultrasound investigation was 91.7%, the specificity 99.8%, the positive predictive value 84.6% and the negative predictive value 99.9%. CONCLUSION: In our view expert ultrasonographic examination with appropriate counselling is an acceptable alternative for patients with a moderately increased risk of having a foetus with NTD and sufficiently accurate to replace invasive diagnostic procedures.