Li Sheng-li, Chen Cong-ying, Liu Ju-ling, Ouyang Shu-yuan
Department of Ultrasound, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518028, Guangdong, China.
Chin Med J (Engl). 2004 Mar;117(3):361-5.
Because of lacking skills in scanning the normal fetal facial structures and their corresponding ultrasonic features, misdiagnoses frequently occur. Therefore, we studied the appearance features and improved displaying skills of fetal facial anatomy in order to provide basis for prenatal diagnosis.
Twenty fetuses with normal facial anatomy from induced labor because of other malformations except facial anomalies were immersed in a water bath and then scanned ultrasonographically on coronal, sagittal and transverse planes to define the ultrasonic image features of normal anatomy. The coronal and sagittal planes obtained from the submandibular triangle were used for displaying the soft and hard palate in particular.
Facial anatomic structures of the fetus can be clearly displayed through the three routine orthogonal planes. However, the soft and hard palate can be displayed on the planes obtained from the submandibular triangle only.
The superficial soft tissues and deep bony structures of the fetal face can be recognized and evaluated by routine ultrasonographic images, which is a reliable prenatal diagnostic technique to evaluate the fetal facial anatomy. The soft and hard palate can be well demonstrated by the submandibular triangle approach.
由于缺乏扫描正常胎儿面部结构及其相应超声特征的技能，误诊频繁发生。因此，我们研究了胎儿面部解剖结构的外观特征并改进了显示技术，以便为产前诊断提供依据。
选取20例因其他畸形（面部异常除外）引产的面部解剖结构正常的胎儿，将其浸入水浴中，然后在冠状面、矢状面和横断面上进行超声扫描，以确定正常解剖结构的超声图像特征。特别是从下颌下三角获得的冠状面和矢状面用于显示软腭和硬腭。
通过三个常规正交平面可以清晰显示胎儿的面部解剖结构。然而，软腭和硬腭仅能在从下颌下三角获得的平面上显示。
胎儿面部的浅表软组织和深部骨骼结构可通过常规超声图像识别和评估，这是一种评估胎儿面部解剖结构的可靠产前诊断技术。通过下颌下三角法可以很好地显示软腭和硬腭。
