RT Journal Article
T1 Prenatal visualization of the fetal uterus in routine 2D ultrasound examination
A1 Azumendi, Pedro
A1 Borenstein, Marisa
A1 Jiménez-López, Jesús Salvador
A1 González-Mesa, Ernesto Santiago
A1 Corrales, Carlos
A1 Azumendi, Guillermo
A1 Alonso- Usabiaga, Ignacio
A1 Gómez-Salgado, Juan
A1 Fernández-Carrasco, Francisco Javier
K1 Ecografía
K1 Utero
AB To establish a new technique to easily identify the fetal cervix-uterus complex innormal female fetuses from 20 to 40 weeks of gestation.Material and methods: The study was performed in routine examination in normal fetuses bytwo observers. Twenty-five consecutive cases per gestational week were assessed between 20 and40 weeks. The same plane of the bladder used in the assessment of the umbilical arteries wasused. In this transverse view of the fetal pelvis different structures can be identified from front toback: the bladder, the bowel and the vertebral body. If the uterus is present, it can be seenbetween the bladder and the rectum, as a round structure pushing the posterior bladder wall.The echogenicity changes as the uterus develops and increases its size. Voluson E10 ultrasounddevice (GEHealthcare Ultrasound®, Zipf, Austria) equipped with an RM6Cprobe was utilized.Results: Successful identification of the cervix-uterus complex was possible overall in 83.4% ofcases, reaching more than 93% from 31 weeks onwards. There was a rapid growth of thecervix-uterus complex after 26 weeks, and in the third trimester appears as a solid round structurebehind the fetal bladder. Reproducibility analysis showed agreement between 2 observers in 92%of cases.Conclusion: Identification of the uterus and cervix complex is possible from 20 weeks, althoughit is easier at the end of gestation. This reproducible technique allows the anatomical study ofnormal female fetuses and the visualization of kidney malformations and disorders of sexualdevelopment.KEY MESSAGES• Identification of the uterus and cervix complex is possible from 20 weeks, although it is easierat the end of gestation.• The assessment of the uterus and cervix complex could be a useful evaluation in theanatomical study of normal female fetuses, and of critical importance in those fetuses withkidney malformations or disorders of sexual development.
PB Taylor & Francis
SN 0785-3890
YR 2024
FD 2024-08-25
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10630/44695
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10630/44695
LA eng
NO Pedro Azumendi, Marisa Borenstein, Jesús Salvador Jiménez, Ernesto González-Mesa, Carlos Corrales, Guillermo Azumendi, Ignacio Alonso-Usabiaga, Juan Gómez- Salgado & Francisco Javier Fernández-Carrasco (2025) Prenatal visualization of the fetal uterus in routine 2D ultrasound examination, Annals of Medicine, 57:1, 2449226, DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2024.2449226
DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga
RD 13 abr 2026