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CC BY 4.0 · Surg J (N Y) 2018; 04(01): e1-e6
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1624564
Original Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

The Use of Ultrasound as a Potential Adjunct to Cell-Free Fetal DNA Screening for Aneuploidy at Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA

Jessica Scholl
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York
,
Stephen Chasen
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

19 August 2017

15 December 2017

Publication Date:
09 February 2018 (online)

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Abstract

Objective To evaluate the utility of ultrasound in identifying fetuses with uncommon chromosomal abnormalities that would be considered not detectable by cell-free fetal deoxyribonucleic acid (cfDNA).

Study Design We performed a retrospective study of fetuses with chromosomal abnormalities that would be undetectable by cfDNA, who underwent an 11- to 14-week ultrasound from 2006 to 2016.

Results There were 43 pregnancies included. First-trimester ultrasound revealed a fetal abnormality in 19 (44.2%) cases, of which 13 (30.2%) had a thickened nuchal translucency. There were an additional four fetuses with second-trimester sonographic abnormalities. Overall, 23 (53.5%) fetuses were found to have a major anomaly diagnosed by ultrasound. The rate of first-trimester sonographic abnormalities varied widely based on category of chromosomal abnormalities with high rates seen with triploidy (87.5%) and autosomal trisomy (80%) and lower rates seen with structurally abnormal chromosomes (33.3%), trisomy mosaicism (27.3%), other forms of mosaicism (11.1%), and deletions or duplications (25.0%), p < 0.001.

Conclusion The majority of fetuses with uncommon chromosomal abnormalities in our cohort had major sonographic anomalies. The use of first-trimester ultrasound with nuchal translucency measurement may offer utility in identifying fetuses with risk of aneuploidy that would not be detectable with cfDNA.

Keywords

Cell-free fetal DNA - prenatal cytogenetics - fetal ultrasound - nuchal translucency
 

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