Abstract

MARTINEZ GONZALEZ, Luis Raúl. Value of ultrasonography of fetal thymus associated with structural and chromosomal alterations. Rev Cubana Obstet Ginecol [online]. 2013, vol.39, n.3, pp. 273-280. ISSN 0138-600X.

The fetal thymus is a structure since it was displayed for the first time by ultrasound in 1989 has been gaining interest especially in the last decade due to its easy viewing with higher resolution equipment. This article aims to make available a review of the most recent assessment of fetal thymus with its measurement in echocardiographic view of the three vessels for those prenatal diagnosis specialists. Assessment of size by different methods either by measuring its transverse diameter, its perimeter and more recently the relationship thymic / thoracic, has demonstrated that its absence or hypoplasia is related to different fetal defects such as complex heart diseases , especially conotruncal and aortic arch, intrauterine growth delay, maternal preeclampsia, early sign of chorioamnionitis and prematurity, as well as those associated with 22q 11 deletion and in different trisomies such as 21, 18 and 13 and in predicting immune status after birth. Echocardiographic assessment of fetal thymus by measuring the three vessels, which is possible in 90% of cases, adds another valuable element to prenatal fetus examination.

Keywords : fetal thymus; ultrasound view of the three vessels; thoracic thymic relationship; immune system.

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