Antenatal 2-D, 3-D, and 4-D Sonographic Evaluation of Cleft Lip and Palate

Cleft lip and cleft palate are two of the most commonly encountered congenital anomalies. The key to diagnosing these facial anomalies on antenatal ultrasound is hidden in the complete understanding of embryogenesis of fetal face. On a routine anomaly scan (18–21 weeks) a well-experienced radiologist can detect and categorize these anomalies. With the advent of high-resolution ultrasound machines, having 3-D and 4-D tools, we can now detect signs of cleft lip and palate as early as 12–13 weeks (NT scan) of gestation. We can now classify and categorize the severity of orofacial cleft with associated anomalies. This provides a complete roadmap for postnatal facial reconstruction.