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Objectives: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of two‐dimensional ultrasound at 11–14 weeks' gestation as a screening test for individual fetal anomalies and to identify factors impacting on screening performance. Methods: This was a systematic review and meta‐analysis that was developed and registered with PROSPERO (CRD42018111781). MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science Core Collection and the Cochrane Library were searched for studies evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of screening for 16 predefined, non‐cardiac, congenital anomalies considered to be of interest to the early anomaly scan. We included prospective and retrospective studies from any healthcare setting conducted in low‐risk, mixed‐risk and unselected populations. The reference standard was the detection of an anomaly on postnatal or postmortem examination. Data were extracted to populate 2 × 2 tables and a random‐effects model was used to determine the diagnostic accuracy of screening for the predefined anomalies (individually and as a composite). Secondary analyses were performed to determine the impact on detection rates of imaging protocol, type of ultrasound modality, publication year and index of sonographer suspicion at the time of scanning. Post‐hoc secondary analysis was conducted to assess performance among studies published during or after 2010. Risk of bias assessment and quality assessment were undertaken for included studies using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies‐2 tool. Results: From 5684 citations, 202 papers underwent full‐text review, resulting in the inclusion of 52 studies comprising 527 837 fetuses, of which 2399 were affected by one or more of the 16 predefined anomalies. Individual anomalies were not equally amenable to detection on first‐trimester ultrasound: a high (> 80%) detection rate was reported for severe conditions, including acrania (98%), gastroschisis (96%), exomphalos (95%) and holoprosencephaly (88%); the detection rate was lower for open spina bifida (69%), lower urinary tract obstruction (66%), lethal skeletal dysplasias (57%) and limb‐reduction defects (50%); and the detection rate was below 50% for facial clefts (43%), polydactyly (40%) and congenital diaphragmatic hernia (38%). Conditions with a low (< 30%) detection rate included bilateral renal agenesis (25%), closed spina bifida (21%), isolated cleft lip (14%) and talipes (11%). Specificity was > 99% for all anomalies. Secondary analysis showed that detection improved with advancing publication year, and that the use of imaging protocols had a statistically significant impact on screening performance (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: The accurate detection of congenital anomalies using first‐trimester ultrasound is feasible, although detection rates and false‐positive rates depend on the type of anomaly. The use of a standardized protocol allows for diagnostic performance to be maximized, particularly for the detection of spina bifida, facial clefts and limb‐reduction defects. Highlighting the types of anomalies amenable to diagnosis and determining factors enhancing screening performance can support the development of first‐trimester anomaly screening programs. © 2024 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Re: Correspondence on 'Fetal myocardial deformation measured with two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography: longitudinal prospective cohort study of 124 healthy fetuses' I read with interest the Reply by de Vet I et al i . to my previous correspondence regarding the Original Paper by van Oostrum I et al i .[[1], [3]]. Our LV-GLS values were comparable to the values of Li I et al i . between 20 and 27 weeks, and our RV-GLS values were comparable to the values of Erickson I et al i .'[[5]]. [Extracted from the article]

4 DeVore GR, Satou G, Sklansky M. Comparing the Non-Quiver and Quiver Techniques for Identification of the Endocardial Borders Used for Speckle-Tracking Analysis of the Ventricles of the Fetal Heart. In this paper, we obtained reliable reference values for fetal global longitudinal strain (GLS) and strain rate (GLSR) using the 2D Cardiac Performance 1.2 software program by TOMTEC Imaging Systems GmbH (Munich, Germany). We thank Dr DeVore for his interest in our paper[1]. [Extracted from the article]

Objectives: Fetal aortic valvuloplasty (FAV) has become a treatment option for critical fetal aortic stenosis (AS) with the goal of preserving biventricular circulation (BVC); however, to date, it is unclear how many patients undergoing FAV achieve BVC. The aim of this systematic review and meta‐analysis was to investigate the type of postnatal circulation achieved following FAV. Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library were searched systematically for studies investigating postnatal circulation in patients with AS following FAV. Eligible for inclusion were original papers in the English language, published from 2000 to 2020, with at least 12 months of follow‐up after birth. Review papers, abstracts, expert opinions, books, editorials and case reports were excluded. The titles and abstracts of all retrieved literature were screened, duplicates were excluded and the full texts of potentially eligible articles were obtained and assessed. The primary endpoint was type of postnatal circulation. Additional assessed outcomes included fetal death, live birth, neonatal death (NND), termination of pregnancy (TOP) and technical success of the FAV procedure. The quality of articles was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool. To estimate the overall proportion of each endpoint, meta‐analysis of proportions was employed using a random‐effects model. Results: The electronic search identified 579 studies, of which seven were considered eligible for inclusion in the systematic review and meta‐analysis. A total of 266 fetuses underwent FAV with median follow‐up per study from 12 months to 13.2 years. There were no maternal deaths and only one case of FAV‐related maternal complication was reported. Hydrops was present in 29 (11%) patients. The pooled prevalence of BVC and univentricular circulation (UVC) among liveborn patients was 45.8% (95% CI, 39.2–52.4%) and 43.6% (95% CI, 33.9–53.8%), respectively. The pooled prevalence of technically successful FAV procedure was 82.1% (95% CI, 74.3–87.9%), of fetal death it was 16.0% (95% CI, 11.2–22.4%), of TOP 5.7% (95% CI, 2.0–15.5%), of live birth 78.8% (95% CI, 66.5–87.4%), of NND 8.7% (95% CI, 4.7–15.5%), of palliative care 4.0% (95% CI, 1.9–8.4%) and of infant death 10.3% (95% CI, 3.6–26.1%). The pooled prevalence of BVC and UVC among liveborn patients who had technically successful FAV was 51.9% (95% CI, 44.7–59.1%) and 39.8% (95% CI, 29.7–50.9%), respectively. Conclusions: This study showed a BVC rate of 46% among liveborn patients with AS undergoing FAV, which improved to 52% when subjects underwent technically successful FAV. Given the lack of randomized clinical trials, results should be interpreted with caution. Currently, data do not suggest a true benefit of FAV for achieving BVC. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring vascularization in uterine fibroids is important for their diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Vascularization can be measured by power Doppler ultrasound. The power Doppler signal depends on fibroid characteristics and on a variety of ultrasound-machine settings. Literature describing which machine settings influence the power Doppler signal is limited. Each manufacturer names settings and presets at their own discretion, with little information available publicly. Consistency of machine settings is important for correct interpretation of images in daily practice and is essential in yielding reproducible data for research. The aims of this paper, drawing from both a literature search and semistructured interviews with ultrasound-machine engineers and clinical experts in gynecological ultrasound, were: (1) to provide comprehensive background information on ultrasound physics and fibroid characteristics; (2) to present an overview of machine settings relevant to both two- and three-dimensional power Doppler, including power Doppler frequency, pulse repetition frequency, gain, wall-motion filter, acoustic power, persistence and signal rise; and (3) to provide a step-by-step tutorial on the optimal settings for vascular evaluation of uterine fibroids using power Doppler. The step-by-step tutorial comprises six steps to optimize the power Doppler signal, create a preset and acquire a reliable three-dimensional volume. This step-by-step tutorial should help research groups and clinicians to use power Doppler correctly and reproducibly in the evaluation of uterine fibroids. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2 Lachmann R, Schilling U, Brückmann D, Weichert A, Brückmann A. Isolated cleft lip and palate: maxillary gap sign and palatino-maxillary diameter at 11-13 weeks. We have modified the image to do so herein (Figure 1), in which the posterior border of the palate is indicated by the red asterisk and our white line indicates the nasal septum and vomer. We thank Drs Lachmann and Brückmann for their comments regarding measurement of the palatomaxillary diameter (PMD) in our recent paper. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: To expand the limited knowledge on cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) analysis of maternal blood for trisomies 21, 18 and 13 in twin pregnancy by updating the data from The Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) on prospective first‐trimester screening and those identified in a systematic review of the literature. Methods: The FMF data were derived from prospective screening for trisomies 21, 18 and 13 in twin pregnancies at 10 + 0 to 14 + 1 weeks' gestation using the Harmony® prenatal test. A search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library), ClinicalTrials.gov and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (World Health Organization) was carried out to identify all peer‐reviewed publications on clinical validation or implementation of maternal cfDNA testing for trisomies 21, 18 and 13 in twin pregnancy, irrespective of gestational age at testing, in which data on pregnancy outcome were provided for at least 85% of the study population. Meta‐analysis was performed using the FMF data and data from the studies identified by the literature search. This review was registered in the PROSPERO international database for systematic reviews Results: In the FMF study, cfDNA testing was carried out in 1442 twin pregnancies and a result was obtained, after first or second sampling, in 1367 (94.8%) cases. In 93.1% (1272/1367) of cases, there was prenatal or postnatal karyotyping or birth of phenotypically normal babies; 95 cases were excluded from further analysis either because the pregnancy ended in termination, miscarriage or stillbirth with no known karyotype (n = 56) or there was loss to follow‐up (n = 39). In the 1272 pregnancies included in the study, there were 20 cases with trisomy 21, 10 with trisomy 18, two with trisomy 13 and 1240 without trisomy 21, 18 or 13. The cfDNA test classified correctly 19 (95.0%) of the 20 cases of trisomy 21, nine (90.0%) of the 10 cases of trisomy 18, one (50.0%) of the two cases of trisomy 13 and 1235 (99.6%) of the 1240 cases without any of the three trisomies. The literature search identified 12 relevant studies, excluding our papers because their data are included in the current study. In the combined populations of our study and the 12 studies identified by the literature search, there were 137 trisomy‐21 and 7507 non‐trisomy‐21 twin pregnancies; the pooled weighted detection rate (DR) and false‐positive rate (FPR) were 99.0% (95% CI, 92.0–99.9%) and 0.02% (95% CI, 0.001–0.43%), respectively. In the combined total of 50 cases of trisomy 18 and 6840 non‐trisomy‐18 pregnancies, the pooled weighted DR and FPR were 92.8% (95% CI, 77.6–98.0%) and 0.01% (95% CI, 0.00–0.44%), respectively. In the combined total of 11 cases of trisomy 13 and 6290 non‐trisomy‐13 pregnancies, the pooled weighted DR and FPR were 94.7% (95% CI, 9.14–99.97%) and 0.10% (95% CI, 0.03–0.39%), respectively. Conclusions: In twin pregnancy, the reported DR of trisomy 21 by cfDNA testing is high, but lower than that in singleton pregnancy, whereas the FPR appears to be equally low. The number of cases of trisomy 18 and more so trisomy 13 was too small for accurate assessment of the predictive performance of the cfDNA test. © 2021 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare autosomal trisomies (RAT) include trisomy 7, which is the second most commonly occurring trisomy and is more common than trisomy 18 or 13[2]. Around half of the significant pre-NIPT findings, such as large cystic hygroma with generalized edema, resulted in chorionic villus sampling (CVS) instead of the intended NIPT, which was the patient's choice. We would like to thank Drs Han and Li for reading and considering our paper, in which we evaluated whether late first-trimester ultrasound (LFTU) can provide additional information to a high-risk non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) result[1]. [Extracted from the article]

Although Erickson I et al i .[6] and Li I et al i .[7] also used the TOMTEC software, they used a different ultrasound device (Vivid E9 ultrasound system; GE Healthcare, Horten, Norway) compared with the one used in our study (Epiq W7 ultrasound system; Philips Healthcare, Eindhoven, The Netherlands)[3]. DeVore I et al i .[10] and Wang I et al i .[13] used a Voluson E10 ultrasound system (GE Healthcare, Zipf, Austria) and TOMTEC software, Germanakis I et al i .[14] used an Acuson Sequoia ultrasound system and Syngo Velocity Vector Imaging software (Siemens Healthineers, Mountain View, CA, USA) and we used an Epiq W7 ultrasound system and TOMTEC software[3]. We read with interest the comment by DeVore about our previous Reply[1] to his Correspondence[2] regarding our Original Paper[3]. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: Fetal anomalies of the corpus callosum (CC) have been reported in the prenatal imaging literature since 1985, and, especially when isolated, pose challenges for both the patient and fetal medicine specialist. The purpose of this study was to review systematically the literature on prenatally diagnosed abnormalities of the CC, focusing on the terminology used to describe abnormalities other than complete agenesis of the CC, and to assess the heterogeneity of the nomenclature and definitions used. Methods: This study was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews. A literature search was performed to identify prospective or retrospective case series or cohort studies, published in English, French, Italian, German or Spanish, reporting fetal imaging findings and describing anomalies of the CC. Quality and risk of bias of the studies were evaluated using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale and a modification of the scale developed by Conde‐Agudelo et al. for other fetal imaging studies. The data extracted included the number of patients, the number of different anomalies identified, the descriptive names of the anomalies, and, where applicable, the definitions of the anomalies, the number of cases of each type of anomaly and the biometric charts used. Secondary tests used to confirm the diagnosis, as well as the postnatal or post‐termination tests used to ascertain the diagnosis, were also recorded. Results: The search identified 998 records, and, after review of titles and abstracts and full review of 45 papers, 27 studies were included initially in the review, of which 24 were included in the final analysis. These 24 studies had a broad range of quality and risk of bias and represented 1135 cases of CC anomalies, of which 49% were complete agenesis and the remainder were described using the term partial agenesis or nine other terms, of which five had more than one definition. Conclusions: In comparison to the postnatal literature, in the prenatal literature there is much greater heterogeneity in the nomenclature and definition of CC anomalies other than complete agenesis. This heterogeneity and lack of standard definitions in the prenatal literature make it difficult to develop large multicenter pooled cohorts of patients who can be followed in order to develop a better understanding of the genetic associations and neurodevelopmental and psychological outcomes of patients with CC anomalies. As this information is important to improve counseling of these patients, a good first step towards this goal would be to develop a simpler categorization of prenatal CC anomalies that matches better the postnatal literature. © 2020 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endometriosis, fibroids and gynecological malignancy can all impact the pelvic ureters. Ureteric involvement is likely to be an important factor in determining the extent and timing of surgery in women with these conditions and assessment of the pelvic ureters is now a recommended component of the imaging work-up for women with endometriosis. The aim of this paper is to provide a step-by-step guide for the identification and assessment of the distal ureters during pelvic ultrasound. We hope that this detailed explanation of the examination technique will help ultrasound examiners to develop this skill and enable them to integrate assessment of the pelvic urinary tract into their routine ultrasound examination.Content: In this paper, we describe a '6 step' detailed approach to ultrasound assessment of the ureters during pelvic ultrasound examination. We discuss tips and common examination findings.Conclusion: The pelvic segments of normal ureters can be identified in almost all women on transvaginal ultrasound examination and the method described is useful in detecting urinary tract abnormalities. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: There are limited case series reporting the impact on women affected by coronavirus during pregnancy. In women affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), the case fatality rate appears higher in those affected in pregnancy compared with non-pregnant women. We conducted a rapid review to guide health policy and management of women affected by COVID-19 during pregnancy, which was used to develop the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' (RCOG) guidelines on COVID-19 infection in pregnancy.Methods: Searches were conducted in PubMed and MedRxiv to identify primary case reports, case series, observational studies and randomized controlled trials describing women affected by coronavirus in pregnancy. Data were extracted from relevant papers. This review has been used to develop guidelines with representatives of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and RCOG who provided expert consensus on areas in which data were lacking.Results: From 9965 search results in PubMed and 600 in MedRxiv, 21 relevant studies, all of which were case reports or case series, were identified. From reports of 32 women to date affected by COVID-19 in pregnancy, delivering 30 babies (one set of twins, three ongoing pregnancies), seven (22%) were asymptomatic and two (6%) were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), one of whom remained on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. No maternal deaths have been reported to date. Delivery was by Cesarean section in 27 cases and by vaginal delivery in two, and 15 (47%) delivered preterm. There was one stillbirth and one neonatal death. In 25 babies, no cases of vertical transmission were reported; 15 were reported as being tested with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction after delivery. Case fatality rates for SARS and MERS were 15% and 27%, respectively. SARS was associated with miscarriage or intrauterine death in five cases, and fetal growth restriction was noted in two ongoing pregnancies affected by SARS in the third trimester.Conclusions: Serious morbidity occurred in 2/32 women with COVID-19, both of whom required ICU care. Compared with SARS and MERS, COVID-19 appears less lethal, acknowledging the limited number of cases reported to date and that one woman remains in a critical condition. Preterm delivery affected 47% of women hospitalized with COVID-19, which may put considerable pressure on neonatal services if the UK's reasonable worst-case scenario of 80% of the population being affected is realized. Based on this review, RCOG, in consultation with RCPCH, developed guidance for delivery and neonatal care in pregnancies affected by COVID-19, which recommends that delivery mode be determined primarily by obstetric indication and recommends against routine separation of affected mothers and their babies. We hope that this review will be helpful for maternity and neonatal services planning their response to COVID-19. © 2020 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To report on the routine clinical implementation of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) analysis of maternal blood for trisomies 21, 18 and 13 in twin pregnancy and to define the performance of the test by combining our results with those identified in a systematic review of the literature.Methods: The data for the prospective study were derived from screening for trisomies 21, 18 and 13 in twin pregnancies at 10 + 0 to 14 + 1 weeks' gestation. Two populations were included; first, self-referred women to the Fetal Medicine Centre in London or Brugmann University Hospital in Brussels and, second, women selected for the cfDNA test after routine first-trimester combined testing at one of two National Health Service hospitals in England. This dataset was used to determine the performance of screening for the three trisomies. Search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library), ClinicalTrials.gov and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) was carried out to identify all peer-reviewed publications on clinical validation or implementation of maternal cfDNA testing for trisomies 21, 18 and 13 in twin pregnancy. A meta-analysis was then performed using our data and those in the studies identified by the literature search.Results: In our dataset of 997 twin pregnancies with a cfDNA result and known outcome, the test classified correctly 16 (94.1%) of the 17 cases of trisomy 21, nine (90.0%) of the 10 cases of trisomy 18, one (50.0%) of the two cases of trisomy 13 and 962 (99.4%) of the 968 cases without any of the three trisomies. The literature search identified seven relevant studies, excluding our previous papers because their data are included in the current study. In the combined populations of our study and the seven studies identified by the literature search, there were 56 trisomy-21 and 3718 non-trisomy-21 twin pregnancies; the pooled weighted detection rate (DR) and false-positive rate (FPR) were 98.2% (95% CI, 83.2-99.8%) and 0.05% (95% CI, 0.01-0.26%), respectively. In the combined total of 18 cases of trisomy 18 and 3143 non-trisomy-18 pregnancies, the pooled weighted DR and FPR were 88.9% (95% CI, 64.8-97.2%) and 0.03% (95% CI, 0.00-0.33%), respectively. For trisomy 13, there were only three affected cases and two (66.7%) of these were detected by the cfDNA test at a FPR of 0.19% (5/2569).Conclusions: The performance of cfDNA testing for trisomy 21 in twin pregnancy is similar to that reported in singleton pregnancy and is superior to that of the first-trimester combined test or second-trimester biochemical testing. The number of cases of trisomies 18 and 13 is too small for accurate assessment of the predictive performance of the cfDNA test. Copyright © 2019 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Fetal aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) is a relatively common sonographic finding. Several studies have reported a significant association between ARSA and Down syndrome, as well as 22q11.2 microdeletion. The objective of this study was to assess the risk of abnormal chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) findings in a large cohort of pregnancies with fetal ARSA as an isolated, as well as a non-isolated, sonographic anomaly. A secondary objective was to review the literature, examining the frequency of chromosomal microarray aberrations in fetuses with isolated ARSA.Methods: Data from all pregnancies referred for invasive testing and CMA due to sonographic diagnosis of fetal ARSA, between 2013 and 2017, were obtained retrospectively from the computerized database of the Israeli Ministry of Health. The rate of clinically significant CMA findings in these fetuses was compared to that in a local control population of 2752 low-risk pregnancies with normal ultrasound and serum screening results. In addition, a literature search was conducted in PubMed, from inception to February 2018, of original studies in the English language describing the frequency and nature of microscopic and submicroscopic aberrations in fetuses with isolated ARSA.Results: Of 246 pregnancies with isolated ARSA that underwent CMA analysis, a clinically significant finding was detected in one (0.4%) pregnancy (trisomy 21). This rate did not differ significantly from that in the control population (P = 0.1574). Of 22 fetuses with non-isolated ARSA, one (4.5%) additional case of trisomy 21 was noted. The frequency of trisomy 21 in this cohort also did not differ from that in the control population (relative risk, 5.5 (95% CI, 0.8-37.6)). The literature search yielded 13 additional relevant papers, encompassing 333 cases of isolated ARSA. Of 579 cases overall (including those of the present study), 13 (2.2%) cases of trisomy 21 were detected, with no cases of 22q11.2 microdeletion.Conclusion: While an association may exist between non-isolated ARSA and Down syndrome, isolated ARSA might better serve as a soft marker for Down syndrome, rather than a routine indication for invasive prenatal testing. Copyright © 2018 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To quantify from the published literature survival and neurodevelopmental outcome of fetuses with prenatally detected isolated severe bilateral ventriculomegaly.Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library were searched electronically. Only cases with a prenatal diagnosis of apparently isolated severe ventriculomegaly and postnatal neurodevelopmental assessment were selected and included. Severe ventriculomegaly was defined as enlargement of the ventricular atria, with a diameter of greater than 15 mm in the transventricular plane. All cases in which the investigators were unable to detect associated structural abnormality, chromosomal abnormality or fetal infection, and in which the ventriculomegaly was therefore regarded as apparently isolated, were included. Those for which the etiology was identified prenatally were excluded, whereas those with postnatal identification of the underlying cause were not excluded, since this information was not available prenatally. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for cohort studies. Pregnancy outcomes such as termination, stillbirth, neonatal survival and developmental outcome of the baby, were recorded. The degree of disability was classified as no, mild or severe disability. Statistical assessment was performed by meta-analysis of proportions to combine data, weighting the studies using the inverse variance method and a random-effects model. Proportions and CIs were reported.Results: Eleven studies including 137 fetuses were found. Twenty-seven pregnancies underwent termination and were excluded. The remaining 110 fetuses with apparently isolated severe ventriculomegaly for which continuation of pregnancy was intended, form the study population. Overall quality assessed using NOS for cohort studies was good. Survival was reported in 95/110 (pooled proportion 87.9% (95% CI, 75.6-96.2%)) cases. In 15/110 (pooled proportion 12.1% (95% CI, 3.8-24.4%)), either stillbirth or neonatal demise was reported. No disability was reported in 41/95 survivors (pooled proportion 42.2% (95% CI, 27.5-57.6%)). However, 17/95 showed mild/moderate disability (pooled proportion 18.6% (95% CI, 7.2-33.8%)) and 37/95 were reported to have severe disability (pooled proportion 39.6% (95% CI, 30.0-50.0%)).Conclusions: Four-fifths of fetuses with severe ventriculomegaly survive and, of these, just over two-fifths show normal neurodevelopment. The overall survivors without disability account for more than one third of the total. Given that many cases undergo termination of pregnancy and require longer follow-up in order to detect subtle abnormalities, mortality and prevalence of developmental delay may be even higher than that reported in this paper. Copyright © 2018 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To identify ultrasound features of papillations or of the cyst wall that can discriminate between benign and malignant unilocular-solid cysts with papillations but no other solid components.Methods: From the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) database derived from seven ultrasound centers, we identified patients with an adnexal lesion described at ultrasonography as unilocular-solid with papillations but no other solid components. All patients had undergone transvaginal ultrasound between 1999 and 2007 or 2009 and 2012, by an experienced examiner following the IOTA research protocol. Information on four ultrasound features of papillations had been collected prospectively. Information on a further seven ultrasound features was collected retrospectively from electronic or paper ultrasound images of good quality. The histological diagnosis of the surgically removed adnexal lesion was considered the gold standard.Results: Of 204 masses included, 131 (64.2%) were benign, 42 (20.6%) were borderline tumors, 30 (14.7%) were primary invasive tumors and one (0.5%) was a metastasis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed the following ultrasound features to be associated independently with malignancy: height of the largest papillation, presence of blood flow in papillations, papillation confluence or dissemination, and shadows behind papillations. Shadows decreased the odds of malignancy, while the other features increased them.Conclusion: We have identified ultrasound features that can help to discriminate between benign and malignant unilocular-solid cysts with papillations but no other solid components. Our results need to be confirmed in prospective studies. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To perform a systematic review of studies comparing the accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosing deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) including only studies in which patients underwent both techniques.Methods: An extensive search was carried out in PubMed/MEDLINE and Web of Science for papers from January 1989 to October 2016 comparing TVS and MRI in DIE. Studies were considered eligible for inclusion if they reported on the use of TVS and MRI in the same set of patients for the preoperative detection of endometriosis in pelvic locations in women with clinical suspicion of DIE and using surgical data as a reference standard. Quality was assessed using the QUADAS-2 tool. A random-effects model was used to determine pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR-) and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR).Results: Of 375 citations identified, six studies (n = 424) were considered eligible. For MRI in the detection of DIE in the rectosigmoid, pooled sensitivity was 0.85 (95% CI, 0.78-0.90), specificity was 0.95 (95% CI, 0.83-0.99), LR+ was 18.4 (95% CI, 4.7-72.4), LR- was 0.16 (95% CI, 0.11-0.24) and DOR was 116 (95% CI, 23-585). For TVS in the detection of DIE in the rectosigmoid, pooled sensitivity was 0.85 (95% CI, 0.68-0.94), specificity was 0.96 (95% CI, 0.85-0.99), LR+ was 20.4 (95% CI, 4.7-88.5), LR- was 0.16 (95% CI, 0.07-0.38) and DOR was 127 (95% CI, 14-1126). For MRI in the detection of DIE in the rectovaginal septum, pooled sensitivity was 0.66 (95% CI, 0.51-0.79), specificity was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.89-0.99), LR+ was 22.5 (95% CI, 6.7-76.2), LR- was 0.38 (95% CI, 0.23-0.52) and DOR was 65 (95% CI, 21-204). For TVS in the detection of DIE in the rectovaginal septum, pooled sensitivity was 0.59 (95% CI, 0.26-0.86), specificity was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.94-0.99), LR+ was 23.5 (95% CI, 9.1-60.5), LR- was 0.42 (95% CI, 0.18-0.97) and DOR was 56 (95% CI, 11-275). For MRI in the detection of DIE in the uterosacral ligaments, pooled sensitivity was 0.70 (95% CI, 0.55-0.82), specificity was 0.93 (95% CI, 0.87-0.97), LR+ was 10.4 (95% CI, 5.1-21.2), LR- was 0.32 (95% CI, 0.20-0.51) and DOR was 32 (95% CI, 12-85). For TVS in the detection of DIE in the uterosacral ligaments, pooled sensitivity was 0.67 (95% CI, 0.55-0.77), specificity was 0.86 (95% CI, 0.73-0.93), LR+ was 4.8 (95% CI, 2.6-9.0), LR- was 0.38 (95% CI, 0.29-0.50) and DOR was 12 (95% CI, 7-24). Confidence intervals of pooled sensitivities, specificities and DOR were wide for both techniques in all the locations considered. Heterogeneity was moderate or high for sensitivity and specificity for both TVS and MRI in most locations assessed. According to QUADAS-2, the quality of the included studies was considered good for most domains.Conclusion: The diagnostic performance of TVS and MRI is similar for detecting DIE involving rectosigmoid, uterosacral ligaments and rectovaginal septum. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To establish, based on a systematic literature review, the frequency of pathogenic submicroscopic chromosomal aberrations in fetuses that are not at increased risk for unbalanced structural chromosomal aberrations, with the aim of determining whether high-resolution testing for submicroscopic aberrations is beneficial in a general pregnant population.Methods: EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science and CENTRAL databases were searched systematically on 3 June 2016 for all relevant articles on the prevalence of pathogenic submicroscopic copy number variants (CNVs) in fetuses referred for prenatal invasive testing because of advanced maternal age (AMA) or parental anxiety (ANX). Relevant full-text articles were analyzed and the prevalence of submicroscopic CNVs was calculated based on the extracted data. Meta-analysis was conducted in a pooled cohort of 10 614 fetuses based on the 10 largest studies (n > 300) of a total of 19 that were relevant.Results: Pooled estimate analysis indicated that 0.84% (95% CI, 0.55-1.30%) of fetuses that had invasive testing because of AMA/ANX carried a pathogenic clinically significant submicroscopic aberration. The onset/penetrance of submicroscopic findings was studied in 10 314 fetuses reported in eight papers that presented aberrant cases with all necessary details to allow assessment of the findings. The pooled estimates resulting from meta-analysis of the data indicated that an early-onset syndromic disorder was detected in 0.37% (95% CI, 0.27-0.52%) of cases, a susceptibility CNV was found in 0.30% (95% CI, 0.14-0.67%) and late-onset diseases were reported in 0.11% (95% CI, 0.05%-0.21%). The prevalence of early-onset syndromic disorders caused by a submicroscopic aberration was calculated to be 1:270. When the risk for submicroscopic aberrations is added to the individual risk for microscopic chromosomal aberrations, all pregnant women have a risk of higher than 1 in 180 for a relevant chromosomal aberration, and pregnant women under 36 years of age have a higher risk for submicroscopic pathogenic aberrations than for Down syndrome.Conclusion: This systematic review shows that a significant proportion of fetuses in a general pregnant population carry a submicroscopic pathogenic CNV. Based on these figures, all women should be informed on their individual risk for all pathogenic chromosomal aberrations and not only for common trisomies. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In recent years, a large number of studies have been published on the clinical relevance of pelvic floor three-dimensional (3D) transperineal ultrasound. Several studies compare sonography with other imaging modalities or clinical examination. The quality of reporting in these studies is not known. The objective of this systematic review was to determine the compliance of diagnostic accuracy studies investigating pelvic floor 3D ultrasound with the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) guidelines.Methods: Published articles on pelvic floor 3D ultrasound were identified by a systematic literature search of MEDLINE, Web of Science and Scopus databases. Prospective and retrospective studies that compared pelvic floor 3D ultrasound with other clinical and imaging diagnostics were included in the analysis. STARD compliance was assessed and quantified by two independent investigators, using 22 of the original 25 STARD checklist items. Items with the qualifier 'if done' (Items 13, 23 and 24) were excluded because they were not applicable to all papers. Each item was scored as reported (score = 1) or not reported (score = 0). Observer variability, the total number of reported STARD items per article and summary scores for each item were calculated. The difference in total score between STARD-adopting and non-adopting journals was tested statistically, as was the effect of year of publication.Results: Forty studies published in 13 scientific journals were included in the analysis. Mean ± SD STARD checklist score of the included articles was 16.0 ± 2.5 out of a maximum of 22 points. The lowest scores (< 50%) were found for reporting of handling of indeterminate results or missing responses, adverse events and the time interval between tests. Interobserver agreement for rating the STARD items was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.77). An independent t-test showed no significant mean difference ± SD in total STARD checklist score between STARD-adopting and non-adopting journals (16.4 ± 2.2 vs 15.9 ± 2.6, respectively). Mean ± SD STARD checklist score for articles published in 2003-2009 was lower, but not statistically different, compared with those published in 2010-2015 (15.2 ± 2.5 vs 16.6 ± 2.4, respectively).Conclusion: The overall compliance with reporting guidelines of diagnostic accuracy studies on pelvic floor 3D transperineal ultrasound is relatively good compared with other fields of medicine. However, specific checklist items require more attention when reported. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We thank Drs Li and Li for their comments on our recent study1. Evolving fetal phenotypes and the clinical impact of progressive prenatal exome sequencing pathways: cohort study. Our paper highlights the challenges of introducing a prenatal exome sequencing (ES) service into a clinical pathway within the National Health Service (NHS) in England and demonstrates that pretest multidisciplinary discussion within a designated fetal medicine/genetics clinic and sequential ultrasound scans to define the fetal phenotype lead to optimal clinical utility. [Extracted from the article]

Such increments in UA impedance during intrauterine correction of OSB have been reported by other authors2-4; however, the degree of UA Doppler abnormalities varies from mildly increased UA-PI to absent or reversed end-diastolic velocities. We read with great interest the comment of Gonser and colleagues regarding our paper on changes in fetal Doppler parameters during open fetal microneurosurgery for open spina bifida (OSB) repair1. Gonser I et al i . presented a detailed physiological explanation of the effect of fluranes on placental vascular resistance, brain vasodilation and increased umbilical artery (UA) pulsatility index (PI). [Extracted from the article]

This policy set an overall goal of reducing the national multiple-birth rate following conception by IVF to 10% and set a maximum multiple-birth rate that clinics must not exceed. However, according to a HFEA report, the multiple-birth rate following IVF has decreased, as fertility clinics moved towards more single-embryo transfers. Most research papers and editorials on twin pregnancy published in the past 10 years began by acknowledging the global rise in the rate of twin pregnancy, primarily due to increasing maternal age and more widespread use of assisted conception. [Extracted from the article]

This paper aims to demonstrate the advantage of 3D ultrasound over 2D ultrasound in the diagnosis of congenital uterine anomalies. Grigore et al. in 2021 revealed that from a total number of 200 examinations, 3D ultrasound examination changed the diagnosis in 3% and added or reinforced the diagnosis in 26.5%. EP46.03: Clinical implications and ESHRE/ESGE classification of congenital uterine anomalies using 2D-3D ultrasound in a private tertiary hospital. [Extracted from the article]

Objective To assess the performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound ( CE-US) in the differential diagnosis of malignant and benign ovarian tumors. Methods We conducted a comprehensive literature search of PubMed and EMBASE to identify published articles evaluating the diagnostic potential of CE-US for the differentiation of benign and malignant ovarian tumors. Inclusion criteria were: (1) the study assessed the accuracy (or sensitivity and specificity) of CE-US for diagnosis of benign and malignant ovarian tumors; (2) it used surgery and histopathology as the reference standard for distinguishing between benign and malignant tumors; (3) it included data allowing construction of a 2×2 contingency table for true- and false-positives and negatives. We present summary sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (OR) and areas under the summary receiver-operating characteristics curves ( AUCs). Results Preliminary screening identified 103 papers, of which 11 fulfilled our predefined inclusion criteria and underwent final analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of CE-US for diagnosis of benign and malignant ovarian tumors were 93% (95% CI, 89-96%) and 95% (95% CI, 92-96%), respectively. The pooled diagnostic OR was 171.2 (95% CI, 65.9-444.6) and the AUC was 0.98. I2 values of sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic OR were 38.3%, 31.7% and 48.4%, respectively, all indicating moderate heterogeneity. Conclusions The evidence from available studies suggests CE-US is useful for discriminating between benign and malignant ovarian tumors; however, further studies are needed to examine whether CE-US has improved diagnostic test accuracy compared with that of standard two-dimensional Doppler sonography. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objectives To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound in predicting the location of an intrauterine pregnancy before visualization of the yolk sac is possible. Methods This was a systematic review conducted in accordance with the PRISMA statement and registered with PROSPERO. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and The Cochrane Library for relevant citations. Studies were selected in a two-stage process and their data extracted by two reviewers. Accuracy measures were calculated for each ultrasound sign, i.e. gestational sac, double decidual sac sign, intradecidual sign, chorionic rim sign and yolk sac. Individual study estimates were plotted in summary receiver-operating characteristics curves and forest plots for examination of heterogeneity. The quality of included studies was assessed. Results Seventeen studies including 2564 women were selected from 19 959 potential papers. Following meta-analysis, the presence of a gestational sac on ultrasound examination was found to predict an intrauterine pregnancy with a sensitivity of 52.8% (95% CI, 38.2-66.9%) and specificity of 97.6% (95% CI, 94.3-99.0%). The corresponding performance of the double decidual sac sign, intradecidual sign, chorionic rim sign and yolk sac were: 81.8% (95% CI, 68.1-90.4%) and 97.3% (95% CI, 76.1-99.8%); 66.1% (95% CI, 58.9-72.8%) and 100% (95% CI, 91.0-100%); 79.9% (95% CI, 73.0-85.7%) and 97.1% (95% CI, 89.9-99.6%); and 42.2% (95% CI, 27.7-57.9%) and 100% (95% CI, 54.1-100%), respectively. Conclusion Visualization of a gestational sac, double decidual sac sign, intradecidual sign or chorionic rim sign increases the probability of an intrauterine pregnancy but is not as accurate for diagnosis as the detection of the yolk sac. However, the findings were limited by the small number and poor quality of the studies included and heterogeneity in the index test and reference standard. Copyright © 2014 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objectives To evaluate differences between international fetal centers in their treatment of twin-twin transfusion syndrome ( TTTS) by fetoscopic placental laser coagulation. Methods Fetal therapy centers worldwide were sent a web-based questionnaire. Participants were identified through networks and through scientific presentations and papers. Questions included physician and center demographics, treatment criteria, operative technique and instrumentation. Laser treatment was compared between low-volume (< 20 procedures/year) and high-volume (≥ 20 procedures/year) centers. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of 106 fetal therapy specialists approached, 76 (72%) from 64 centers in 25 countries responded. Of these, 48% (31/64) of centers and 63% (48/76) of operators performed fewer than 20 laser procedures annually. Comparison of low- and high-volume centers showed differences in technique, gestational age limits for treatment and geography. High-volume centers more often used the Solomon technique and applied wider gestational age limits for treatment. Europe and Asia had more high-volume centers, whereas South America, the Middle East and Australia had mainly low-volume centers. Conclusion This survey revealed significant differences between fetal centers in several aspects of fetoscopic placental laser therapy for TTTS. Increasing awareness of TTTS, and of laser coagulation as its preferred treatment, will lead to an increase in centers offering this modality, especially in Asia, Africa, South America and the Middle East. Considering the rarity of TTTS and the relative complexity of the procedure, developing international guidelines for techniques, instrumentation and suggested minimum volumes per center may aid in optimizing perinatal outcome. Copyright © 2014 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As we celebrate the 30 SP th sp anniversary of ISUOG and its Journal I Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology i (UOG), I cannot help but feel proud of the impressive evolution of the Journal over these years. This issue also includes high-impact research papers which highlight the breadth of topics the Journal now covers and in which ultrasound plays an instrumental or supporting role. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2021; 57: 43 - 51. 3 Basurto D, Sananès N, Bleeser T, Valenzuela I, De Leon N, Joyeux L, Verbeken E, Vergote S, Van der Veeken L, Russo FM, Deprest J. Safety and efficacy of smart tracheal occlusion device in diaphragmatic hernia lamb model. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 1991; 1: 53 - 59. 11 Farren J, Jalmbrant M, Falconieri N, Mitchell-Jones N, Bobdiwala S, Al-Memar M, Tapp S, Van Calster B, Wynants L, Timmerman D, Bourne T. Differences in post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression following miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy between women and their partners: multicenter prospective cohort study. [Extracted from the article]

This paper is an overview of the recent literature regarding the cerebral abnormalities determined by congenital CMV infection and their detection by ultrasound examination. Ultrasound may detect cerebral abnormalities in fetuses with presumed or confirmed congenital CMV infection, although these findings are not always so obvious and are not specifically for CMV infection. [Extracted from the article]

The purpose of this paper is to assess the efficiency of CDTV ultrasound to detect ovarian cancer in early stages. Screening by CDTV ultrasound was annually performed in asymptomatic women with no family history of ovarian cancer. 64 percent of the patients had normal levels of CA 125, measured after the lesions were detected by CDTV ultrasound study. [Extracted from the article]

The aim of this paper is to analyse the removed polyps, in infertile women, to detect the presence of malignancy in the analysed polyps. The study has been done at GAK "Narodni Front" in Belgrade, reviewing 100 infertile patients, after hysteroscopic polypectomy and the material has been sent to histopathological analysis in order to detect malignancy at the polyp. Hystopathological analysis of polyps removed by hysteroscopy, of 100 examined patients, found one endometrial carcinoma, and in one patient intraepithelial neoplasia. [Extracted from the article]

This paper summarised the outcomes of children with complete transposition of the great arteries treated in our hospital in the past 8 years and analysed the survival chances of children with this disease after birth. The condition, operation time, hospitalisation time and outcomes of these children were summarised and analysed. Most children with TGA without other severe cardiac malformations would successfully survive from the ASO surgery and have good prognosis if they are diagnosed and treated timely. [Extracted from the article]

The L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) gene (OMIM 308840), encodes the L1 cell adhesion molecule, is involved in the central nervous system development (ref). Loss of function mutations found in L1CAM may result in L1 syndrome which is associated with brain malformation and developmental delay. The findings in this paper were consistent with L1 syndrome which should be considered while hydrocephalus or agenesis of the corpus callosum was detected by fetal ultrasound during pregnancy. [Extracted from the article]

There is little doubt that the worldwide Cesarean delivery epidemic has led to an increased incidence of abnormally adherent and invasive placentation. The significant impact that this disorder has on maternal morbidity and mortality has led to a flurry of publications in the literature concerning all aspects of the condition. These papers have arisen from many sources, notably pathologists, epidemiologists, obstetricians and radiologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obliteration of intracranial translucency (IT) is an excellent marker for detecting open spina bifida (OSB) and inclusion of IT in routine screening has helped in its early detection. Once the Chiari malformation is confirmed focus is on the spine to visualise the defect. This paper illustrates 3D evaluation of the normal and abnormal anatomy of brain and spine in OSB. [Extracted from the article]

The development of the genetic non-invasive prenatal tests (NIPT) has been an issue during the last years all over the world, in order to reduce the number of invasive investigations for fetal aneuploidies. From the 120 papers identified, 23 presented data on the prenatal detection rate of the fetal aneuploidies using several non-invasive prenatal tests and matched our inclusion criteria. The use of the non-invasive prenatal tests promises an encouraging accuracy and precision, the sensitivity and specificity in prenatal detection of the fetal aneuploidies being superior to the known screening tests such as the double test with a detection rate of 90-95% and with 3-5% of false positive results. [Extracted from the article]

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the repeatability of real-time shear wave elastography in measuring the elastic modulus of puborectalis muscle. IBM SPSS Statistics 20 software was used for statistical analysis, and the measurement data were expressed by mean value standard deviation. In this paper, the internal repeatability of the SWE technique in the resting state to determine the young's modulus of the puborectalis was studied, and the results showed that the repeatability was good. [Extracted from the article]

The aim of this paper is to investigate the added value of the fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequence in the diagnosis of lissencephaly using fetal MRI. Visualisation of lamination and gyration were assessed, and adequacy to GA determined, as well as it's degree of certainty (0-5) in the diagnosis. By improving visualisation of brain lamination, FLAIR sequences over the fetal brain may help in the diagnosis of migrational disorders, and specifically of lissencephaly. [Extracted from the article]

Ovarian cancer mortality remains high mainly due to late diagnosis. The purpose of this paper is to assess the efficiency of CDTV ultrasound to detect ovarian cancer in early stages. Sixty-five percent of the patients had normal levels of CA 125, measured after the lesions were detected by CDTV ultrasound study. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the policies for the submission of papers to the journal "Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology."

An abstract of the research paper "Correlation between second trimester ultrasonographic twin EFW difference and early outcomes" by P. Roca and others, presented at the 24th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Barcelona, Spain, is presented.

An abstract of the research paper "Sonographic follow up after cryopreserved ovarian tissue reimplant on broad ligaments" by J. Sabria and others, presented at the 24th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Barcelona, Spain, is presented.

An abstract of the research paper "The association between mid-trimester cervical length and the risk of histologic chorioamnionitis and funisitis" by K. Park and others, presented at the 24th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Barcelona, Spain, is presented.

An abstract of the research paper "A retrospective observational study at a tertiary unit in East London: Umbilical artery (UA) absent to reversed end diastolic flow (AREDF); what are the perinatal outcomes?," by F.S. Marleen and others, is presented.

An abstract of the research paper "Early prenatal diagnosis of fetal axillary lymphangioma with ipsilateral pes equinovarus" by Y. Bulbul Baytur and colleagues, presented at the 24th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Barcelona, Spain, is presented.

An abstract of the research paper "Crutial late intrauterine intervention in congenital adenomatoid lung malformation type I: Case report" by M. Litwinska and colleagues, presented at the 24th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Barcelona, Spain, is presented.

An abstract of the research paper "Sonographic characteristics of the atrial septum in fetuses with d-transposition of the great arteries needing emergency neonatal balloon atrioseptostomy" by G. Tuo and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the research paper "Risk of malignancy of unilocular cyst" by A. Ricciardulli and colleagues, presented at the 24th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology held in Barcelona, Spain from September 14-17, 2014, is presented.

An abstract of the research paper "True Reproducibility of UltraSound Techniques (TRUST): systematic review of reliability studies in obstetrics and gynecology" by M.A. Coelho Neto and others, from the 24th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Barcelona, Spain, is presented.

An abstract of the research paper "Azygos vein/descending aorta ratio in normal fetuses and fetuses with interrupted inferior vena cava" by H. Xie and L. Wu, presented at the 24th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Barcelona, Spain, is presented.

An abstract of the paper "Correlation among echocardiographic parameters, endotelial damage and lipid profile in twin pregnancies complicated by selective intrauterine growth restriction" by S. Visentin and others, at the 24th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology, is presented.