Objective:

To investigate the prenatal ultrasonographic characteristics and their clinical significance of the fetal hemivertebra.

Methods:

The prenatal ultrasonographic characteristics of 14 cases of fetal hemivertebrae

which were confirmed by X-ray in Chashan Hospital of Dongguan and Shijie Hospital of Dongguan between May 2011 and May 2016 were retrospectively analyzed.

Results:

Among the 14 cases of fetal hemivertebra

6 cases had single vertebral deformity (4 cases in the thoracic spine

4 cases in the lumbar spine)

8 cases had multiple vertebral deformity (5 cases in the thoracic spine

2 cases both in the thoracic and lumb

ar spine

1 case in the lumbar spine). There were a total of 19 hemivertebras

in which 17 were found by prenatal ultrasound but 19 were found by postpartum X-ray). Besides the vertebral defect

9 fetuses had additional anomalies

of which 7 fetuses had cardiac malformations (2 cases of complete endocardial cushion defects and double outlet right ventricle

1 case of complete transposition of the great arteries

1 case of double outlet right ventricle

1 case of pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect

2 cases of tetralogy of Fallot)

4 fetuses had urinary tract abnormalities (3 cases of polycystic kidney disease

1 case of left renal agenesis)

2 fetuses had central nervous system malformation (1 case of holoprosencephaly

1 case of absence of the cerebellum )

and 12 fetuses had other abnormalities (10 cases of missing ribs

2 cases of polydactyly).

Conclusion:

Hemivertebra has characteristic ultrasonic performance and the prenatal ultrasound of hemivertebra has important clinical significance in eugenics.