Objective: To evaluate three dimensional ultrasound in surface and volume rendering mode in fetal malformations of the face.
Setting: Day assessment unit in a university hospital.
Subjects: Four cases have been examined: two cases represented cleft lip, one case was a male with trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome) with proboscis, and one case represented a male fetus with unilateral anophthalmia.
Conclusion: A new technique of three dimensional ultrasound visualisation in fetal malformation using surface and volume rendering is presented. The equipment consisted of a commercially available ultrasound machine, a built-in graphic workstation, and three dimensional software. Post-processing of data required approximately 10 minutes of calculation. The application of three dimensional ultrasound in complex malformations of the face appears to provide reasonable value for prenatal diagnosis and may become clinically useful in the near future.