The Utility of Volume Sonography for the Detection of Fetal Spine Abnormalities

Sonographic evaluation of the fetal vertebral column is essential for fetal central nervous system evaluation and valuable for ruling out genetic conditions. This article provides an overview for obtaining and manipulating fetal vertebrae three-dimensional data as to obtain the necessary diagnostic views. Additional technical information is provided elsewhere in this issue. This discussion is limited to include only the most common fetal vertebral abnormalities. The same technical principals, however, enable detection of many additional abnormalities.