The development of the fetal eye: In utero ultrasonographic measurements of the vitreous and lens

Abstract

Our objective was to establish nomograms for fetal eye measurements from 12 weeks' gestation by using transvaginal and transabdominal high-resolution ultrasound techniques. A prospective cross-sectional study was performed on 450 normal singleton pregnancies between 12 and 37 weeks' gestation. Vitreous and lens circumferences were measured by transvaginal ultrasonography until 17 weeks, and by abdominal ultrasound between 18 and 37 weeks' gestation. Regression analyses were used to create nomograms, and several transformations were done to obtain linearity. Eye measurements of 12 fetuses at risk for ocular disturbances were plotted on the constructed nomograms. Linear relationships were fitted between vitreous (r2 = 0.79) and lens (r2 = 0.88) circumferences and gestational age. In addition, there was a significant correlation between these measurements and the biparietal diameter. Data of the fetuses at risk showed that disturbances in ocular growth were associated mainly with abnormal cerebral development. These normative data may be helpful in the prenatal diagnosis of suspected congenital syndromes that include, among their manifestations, ocular growth disturbances such as microphthalmos and anophthalmos.

In Utero Eye Development Documented by Fetal MR Imaging

“…To our knowledge, no previous fetal MR imaging studies have looked at lens growth. Achiron et al 9 in 1995 reported a linear growth pattern of the fetal lens circumference based on fetal sonography measurements. Goldstein et al 10 and Dilmen et al 13 described linear growth of the fetal lens diameter by prenatal sonography measurements.…”

“…Most ultrasonographic and postmortem autopsy studies have described a linear pattern of fetal eye and eye structure growth. [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] A few authors have suggested that exponential models of growth better suit the fetal eye, including the curve model by Jeanty et al, 17 which seem to be used most by obstetricians. 16,17 Many other studies in the literature were fitted to a linear growth curve, including another fetal MR imaging study.…”

“…Most of the literature on fetal eye growth, based on autopsy, prenatal sonography, and fetal MR imaging measurements, has suggested a linear growth curve. [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] Others have suggested an exponential growth pattern. [16][17][18] Also, Denis et al 19 in 1998 described a quadratic growth pattern on the basis of autopsy measurements.…”

Normal ranges of biorbital and interorbital distances in healthy Turkish pregnancies at 19–23 weeks of gestation and correlation with craniofacial structures

“…Furthermore, these values can be useful for the estimation of gestational age. Prenatal evaluation of fetal orbit growth is superior for the early assessment of some facial and cranial abnormalities (3,4). Moreover, many morphological parameters that are revealed on USG in the second trimester of pregnancy are reported to be associated with genetic abnormalities (5,6).…”

Craniofacial Inclination at 14 to 39 Weeks' Gestation in Normal Korean Fetuses

“…Many facial anomalies such as retrognathia and a flat face are only recognizable in the profile view. Nomograms of the forehead, 9 orbits, 10,11 nose, 12,13 alveolar ridge, 14 mandible, 15 philtrum, 16 and chin 16,17 are available. However, there is a lack of studies that systematically describe craniofacial inclination of the fetal facial profile in the sagittal plane.…”