Are there any differences between the four-dimensional (4D) ultrasound and the detailed anomaly scan?
Dec 30, 2021
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Lv Aiming
Introduction
In fact, every prenatal examination a woman undergoes during pregnancy serves as a “fetal anomaly screening.” During the mid-pregnancy period, a comprehensive fetal anomaly scan—commonly referred to as the “major anomaly scan”—is performed. This examination provides a relatively clear assessment of the baby’s growth and development in utero. Ultrasound fetal anomaly screening—commonly known as the “major anomaly scan.”
Are there differences between 4D ultrasound and the “major anomaly scan”? To answer this, it’s important to understand the types of examinations involved in the major anomaly scan. This scan includes conventional 2D and 3D ultrasound examinations, as well as the most advanced 4D ultrasound examination. Currently, 4D ultrasound represents the most advanced technique used in the major anomaly scan, and its high diagnostic accuracy significantly reduces the incidence of births involving fetuses with structural abnormalities.
Is there a difference between 4D ultrasound and the major anomaly scan?
In fact, every prenatal examination during pregnancy serves as part of the “anomaly screening” process. Around mid-pregnancy, expectant mothers undergo a specialized examination known as the “major anomaly scan,” which provides a relatively clear assessment of the fetus’s intrauterine growth and development. This procedure—formally termed “fetal structural anomaly screening by ultrasound”—is commonly referred to as the “major anomaly scan.” It is a time-specific examination performed during a defined gestational window, and 4D ultrasound is one of the available modalities for conducting this scan. Thus, “4D ultrasound” falls under the broader category of the “major anomaly scan.”
The major anomaly scan can be performed using two primary modalities: 3D color Doppler ultrasound and 4D color Doppler ultrasound. Routine prenatal ultrasound examinations, by contrast, typically utilize standard 2D color Doppler ultrasound.
Therefore, the most significant distinction among these techniques lies in the equipment used and, more importantly, in image formation: conventional color Doppler ultrasound produces 2D (flat) images; 3D ultrasound generates static, three-dimensional images; whereas 4D ultrasound delivers real-time, dynamic, three-dimensional images. Consequently, 4D ultrasound has become a widely adopted method for the major anomaly scan, offering higher diagnostic precision and an increased likelihood of detecting fetal structural anomalies.
Although both 3D and 4D ultrasound examinations are highly effective for anomaly detection, 4D ultrasound generally provides superior image clarity and diagnostic accuracy. Moreover, during a 4D ultrasound examination, clinicians can also assess the fetal motor nervous system.
We hope the above information is helpful. Wishing you a joyful and healthy life!
