Comparison of diagnostic values between 2D three-section ultrasound and 3D tomographic ultrasound imaging for fetal cleft palate at 11–13+6 weeks

To assess diagnostic values of 2D three-section ultrasound including central sagittal section of the face, axial section of the superior alveolar process, and coronal section of the posterior triangle of the nose and 3D tomographic ultrasound imaging (TUI) in fetal cleft palate at 11–13+6 weeks. 21 cleft palate fetuses who were delivered or induced in our hospital from January 2018 to May 2021 were enrolled. All fetuses with cleft palate underwent nuchal translucency (NT) measurement and screening at 11–13+6 weeks. Relevant findings of cleft palate detected by 2D and 3D TUI during NT screening were retrospectively analyzed. The cleft palate detection rate was compared between two groups. The detection rates of 3D TUI and 2D three-section ultrasound for cleft palate were 0.857 (18/21) and 0.810 (17/21), with no statistical significance (P > 0.05). The detection rates on triangular coronal section of the posterior nose were by 2-D three-section ultrasound was 81.0%, significantly higher than 52.3% (11/21) and 66.6% (14/21) on the central sagittal section and axial section of the superior alveolar process (both P < 0.05). Both 2D three-section ultrasound and 3D TUI yield high diagnostic value for cleft palate at 11–13+6 weeks. The detection rate of cleft palate on the coronal section of the posterior triangle of the nose by 2D three-section ultrasound is higher compared with those on the remaining two planes.