Methods of prenatal screening for trisomy 21
OwnerJiri D. Sonek, Kypros H. Nicolaidesinventors
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Abstract
Methods for prenatal screening for trisomy 21 employ examination of the fronto-maxillary facial (FMF) angle of a fetus. The methods may comprise obtaining a two or three dimensional image of a fetal face, measuring the FMFbone angle and/or FMFskin angle on the image, and comparing the measured FMFbone angle and/or FMFskin angle with an FMFbone angle and/or FMFskin angle characteristic of chromosomally normal fetuses. A measured FMFbone angle and/or FMFskin angle greater than the FMFbone angle and/or FMFskin angle characteristic of chromosomally normal fetuses provides an indication of an increased likelihood of the occurrence of trisomy 21 in the fetus.
Claims19
A method for prenatal screening for trisomy 21 using an ultrasound imaging system comprising an ultrasound device and a computing device, the method comprising:
- obtaining a two or three dimensional image of a fetal face using the ultrasound device, measuring a FMFbone angle on the image using the computing device, wherein the FMFbone angle is the angle between a line extending along an upper aspect of a maxilla and a line extending from an anterior aspect of the maxilla to an external surface of a frontal bone at its point of greatest anterior excursion (the FMFbone angle), and comparing the measured FMFbone angle with an FMFbone angle characteristic of chromosomally normal fetuses using the computing device to provide an indication of an occurrence of trisomy 21 in a fetus, wherein a measured FMFbone angle greater than the FMFbone angle characteristic of chromosomally normal fetuses provides an indication of an increased likelihood of the occurrence of trisomy 21 in the fetus.
A method for prenatal screening for trisomy 21 in a fetus at 14-23 weeks of gestation using an ultrasound imaging system comprising an ultrasound device and a computing device, the method comprising:
- obtaining a two or three dimensional image of a fetal face using the ultrasound device, measuring a FMFskin angle on the image using the computing device, wherein the FMFskin angle is the angle between a line extending along an upper aspect of a maxilla and a line extending from an anterior aspect of the maxilla to an external skin surface along a frontal bone at its point of greatest anterior excursion (the FMFskin angle), and comparing the measured FMFskin angle with an FMFskin angle characteristic of chromosomally normal fetuses using the computing device to provide an indication of an occurrence of trisomy 21 in a fetus, wherein a measured FMFskin angle greater than the FMFskin angle characteristic of chromosomally normal fetuses provides an indication of a likelihood of the occurrence of trisomy 21 in the fetus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.