FOUR DIMENSIONAL ULTRASOUND IN THE ASSESSMENT OF STRUCTURE AND MOVEMENTS OF THE FETAL FACE

Abstract

SAŽETAK. Noviji napredak ultrazvučne dijagnostike, osobito uvođenje 3D i 4D ultrazvuka u praksu, omogućio je prenatalno ispitivanje normalne i poremećene strukture i pokreta fetalnog lica. Čini se da će ovo potpuno neispitano područje pružiti korisne nove informacije o funkciji fetalnog mozga jer se lice smatra ogledalom mozga. U ovom pregledu prikazani su rezultati dobiveni posljednjih godina, pretežno od zagrebačke skupine istraživača, ali i druge do sada objavljeni.Newer development in ultrasound diagnostics, especially applying three and four dimensional ultrasound techniques in the daily routine has made it possible to examine normal and abnormal structure and movement of the fetal face. It seems that this entirely uninvestigated field could provide useful new information about the function of the fetal brain, since the face is considered to be a mirror of the brain. In this review the results made in the last few years, mostly done by the Zagreb group of investigators, but also by the others published so far are presented