Application research on three-dimensional ultrasonic skeletal imaging mode in detecting fetal upper jaw bone.

OBJECTIVE: To detect three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound appearance of fetal normal and abnormal supermaxilla bone's anatomy using skeletal rendering mode, and to compare the success rate of 3D images in different gestational age groups. METHODS: Using three-dimensional ultrasound skeletal rendering mode of voluson 730 and voluson E8 ultrasound systems, the fetal supermaxilla bones were reconstructed, the supermaxilla bones include two hundred and sixty-one cases with the range from 12 to 40 gestaional weeks that were normal supermaxilla proved by 2D ultrasound exam, three cases that were the specimens of fetal normal supermaxilla, and eight cases that were abnormal supermaxilla. The normal supermaxilla's imaging success rates of different gestational ages were contrasted. RESULTS: The success rate of normal fetal supermaxilla bone's formation and structure with the 3D image was 97.9% during the gestation of 12~15(+6) weeks, 96.0% of 16~21(+6) weeks, 98.4% of 22~27(+6) weeks, 68.6% of 28~35(+6) weeks, 27.5% of 36~40 weeks. Through the X(2) test, there was no significant difference in the success rate of displaying among the gestation of 12~15(+6) weeks, 16~21(+6) weeks and 22~27(+6) weeks. The success rate during the gestation of 36~40 weeks was the lowest among all the gestation. Big anatomic structures of fetal supermaxilla in 3D images can be shown, but detail cannot. The success rate of cleft palate with 3D image was 100% (8 cases). CONCLUSIONS: 3D ultrasound can supply more detailed and comprehensive information of fetal supermaxilla bone. The better fit examine weeks for obtaining 3D images are within 12~35(+6) weeks, the best fit examine weeks are within 16~27(+6) weeks. The function of 3D skeletal rendering mode image can display cleft palate clearly.