BACKGROUND/AIMSWe aimed to determine the normal value interval for the Turkish population by measuring the cisterna magna width of fetuses in the 18-24th weeks of gestation and to determine the correlation of cisterna magna width with gestational week, maternal age, maternal body mass index, and fetal parameters. MATERIAL and METHODSThis study included 1,236 healthy fetuses in the 18-24th gestational week of cases aged from 18 to 40 years.The cisterna magna width, biparietal diameter, femur length, and abdominal circumference of the fetuses were measured.Additionally, groups were divided according to the maternal age and body mass index. RESULTSThe cisterna magna width of fetuses from 18 to 24 weeks of gestation was identified to vary from 3.84 6 0.57 to 5.25 6 0.83 mm.Additionally, the mean and standard deviation of cisterna magna width and fetal parameters were determined according to the gestational week, maternal age, and maternal body mass index.Later, the correlations of cisterna magna width with pregnancy week, maternal age, maternal body mass index, and fetal parameters were examined.Cisterna magna width was correlated with pregnancy week and fetal parameters (P < .01)but was not correlated with maternal age (P > .01).Additionally, cisterna magna width and fetal parameters were determined to show negative correlation with maternal body mass index (P < .01). CONCLUSIONWe believe our data related to the cisterna magna width obtained at the end of the study will be beneficial for the assessment of fetal development and identification of fetal anomalies.
We performed this prospective study on patients with signs and symptoms of chronic venous disease to emphasize short saphenous vein (SSV) insufficiency, which is not routinely evaluated with Doppler ultrasonography in every center.One hundred seventy-eight patients with signs and symptoms of chronic venous disease were included in the study. We used the CEAP (clinical, etiologic, anatomic, and pathophysiologic data) classification in evaluation of the limbs with isolated and nonisolated SSV incompetence. Patients were classified according to age, occupation, body mass index, and associated chronic illness. A chi(2) test and a t test were used in the statistical analysis.Reflux was observed in 190 (53%) of 356 limbs. In 11 limbs, isolated SSV reflux was observed. These 11 limbs were classified as CEAP grade 2 (3 limbs), CEAP grade 3 (3 limbs), and CEAP grade 4 (5 limbs). Short saphenous vein reflux was observed in 21 (5.9%) of 356 limbs. Mean SSV diameters were 3.89 mm (range, 1-11 mm) on the right and 4.03 mm (1.3-10 mm) on the left.No statistical significance was found between age, sex, body mass index, occupation, and associated chronic disease and deep or superficial venous system incompetence. A statistically significant difference was found between the SSV diameter of the limbs and associated venous incompetence.
To describe the sonoelastographic appearance of the Achilles tendon in acromegalic patients and to determine whether the blood concentrations of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) are associated with the various sonographic elasticity types of Achilles tendons.Eighty-four Achilles tendons of 42 acromegaly patients and 84 Achilles tendons of 42 healthy volunteers were assessed with sonoelastography. The tendons were classified into two main types according to the elasticity features: type 1 blue/green (hard tissue) and type 2 yellow/red within green (intermediate-soft tissue). Two subtypes of these types were also defined. According to the definition, the elasticity of the tissue was in a spectrum ranging from hard to soft as the type progressed from 1a to 2b.The mean thickness of Achilles tendons in patients with acromegaly was significantly higher compared with healthy Achilles tendons (5.1+/-0.7 mm vs. 4.4+/-0.5, p<0.001), and patients with active disease had thicker Achilles tendons (5.5+/-0.8 mm vs. 4.8+/-0.5 mm in inactive disease, p=0.003). A significantly higher proportion of acromegaly patients had type 2 sonoelastographic appearance of the Achilles tendon (124/252 third; 49.2% vs. 81/252 third; 32.1%, p=0.0001). Activity status of acromegaly and GH/IGF-I levels were similar in patients with different types of elasticity (p>0.05).Sonoelastography revealed structural changes in the tendinous tissue of patients with acromegaly, but it was not sensitive enough to reflect changes in the serum levels of GH/IGF-1.
Congenital heart diseases are common, with an incidence of more than 8 in 1000 live births. Aortic atresia is a rare diagnosis and its prognosis is very poor. In this article, we present a case of isolated aortic atresia, a very rare cardiovascular anomaly, and its fetal ultrasound findings which include blood flow at foramen ovale from left to right, right deviation of the interventricular septum, dysfunction of the mitral valve and cardiomegaly. Aortic stenosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of aortic atresia. However, in the case of severe aortic stenosis and/or accompanying ventricular septal defect, differential diagnosis may not be done. Konjenital kalp hastalıkları çok sık görülmekte olup insidansı 1000 canlı doğumda 8’ den fazladır. Aortik atrezi nadir görülmekte olup prognozu kötüdür. Biz bu olgu sunumunda, ultrasonografi bulguları arasında foramen ovaleden soldan sağa şant, interventriküler septumda sağa deviasyon, mitral kapakta disfonksiyon ve kardiyomegalinin izlendiği nadir görülen bir kardiyovasküler anomali olan aort atrezisini tartışmayı amaçladık. Aort atrezisinin ayırıcı tanısında mutlaka aort stenozu göz önünde bulundurulmalıdır. Ancak şiddetli aort stenozuna eşlik eden VSD varlığında ayırıcı tanı yapılamayabilir.
