Prenatal Ultrasound Detection of Myelomeningocele
Author Information
Author(s): Kazmi Syed Shuja, Nejat Farideh, Tajik Parvin, Roozbeh Hadi
Primary Institution: Children's Hospital Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences
Hypothesis
What is the prenatal diagnosis rate of myelomeningocele by ultrasound in patients referred to the Children's Hospital Medical Center?
Conclusion
The detection rate of myelomeningocele in this population is significantly lower than in other studies, highlighting the need for improved prenatal screening.
Supporting Evidence
- 97.1% of cases had prenatal ultrasound.
- Only 24.3% of myelomeningocele cases were diagnosed prenatally.
- Detection rates were highest for thoracic/thoracolumbar lesions at 40%.
Takeaway
Doctors looked at ultrasound results to see how many babies with a condition called myelomeningocele were found before they were born, and they found that many were missed.
Methodology
The study included 140 children born with myelomeningocele, analyzing ultrasound reports and demographic data.
Limitations
The study's detection rate was much lower than in other countries, possibly due to lack of a national screening policy and low-resolution ultrasound equipment.
Participant Demographics
52.1% male, 47.1% female, and 0.7% ambiguous genitalia, with ages ranging from one day to five years.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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