Ch. 26 The Fetal Spine and Musculoskeletal System Flashcards
The axial skeleton begins to form between the _____ and ______ menstrual weeks. It consists of the bones of the ______and _____.
sixth and eighth; cranium and spine
As bones grow and accumulate minerals, they are said to ossify. It is this ossification that allows sonographers to readily visualize these structures as ________reflections that produce _________. As the pregnancy progresses, the skull and skeletal bones become more echogenic.
echogenic; acoustic shadowing
What 5 sections does the fetal spine cosists of?
cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, and coccyx
The spine is typically imaged in three scan planes: ______, ______, and ______
sagittal, transverse, and coronal
Each fetal vertebra consists of three echogenic ossification centers: one ______ and two_________.
centrum; neural processes
The centrum will eventually form the ________, whereas the neural process of each vertebra will become the lamina, pedicle, transverse process, spinous process, and articular process.
vertebral body
Between the two laminae and posterior to the centrum lies the _________, the structure that runs the length of the spine and contains the ________.
vertebral column; spinal cord
The echogenic laminae are normally angled ______, whereas with spina bifida, the defective laminae will be angled ______ or be said to ______. The spinal cord appears as a hypoechoic linear structure that extends from the base of the cranium to the distal spine.
inward; outward; splay
embryologic formation that results from fusion of the two folded ends of the neural plate
neural tube
protrusions of intracranial contents through a defect in the skull
cephaloceles
neural tube defect that is described as the absence of the cranium and cerebral hemispheres
anencephaly
_________ and _______ are the most common neural defects, occurring in 1 in every 1,000 pregnancies
Anencephaly and spina bifida
blood screening test that evaluates maternal levels of alpha-fetoprotein, estriol, and human chorionic gonadotropin (as well as other labs) during a pregnancy for neural tube defects and chromosomal abnormalities
maternal serum screening
a maternal blood test that typically includes an analysis of human chorionic gonadotropin, alpha-fetoprotein, and estriol
triple screen
Reportedly, as many as 80% of spina bifida cases can be detected with ________screening in combination with sonography. _____ is initially produced by the yolk sac, fetal gastrointestinal tract, and the fetal liver.
alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)
_____ exits the fetus through an opening in the neural tube if one is present, such as with open spina bifida or anencephaly, thus allowing a greater amount to pass into the maternal circulation.
AFP
It is important to note that an elevation in AFP does ______ necessarily mean that spina bifida is present. _______ MSAFP is also associated with omphalocele, gastroschisis, multiple gestations, and fetal death.
not; Elevated
________ spina bifida is not associated with elevated MSAFP because of the skin covering.
closed
Fortunately, studies have shown that a supplement of just 0.4 mg a day of ________ in a woman’s diet significantly reduces the likelihood of her fetus developing spina bifida and other neural tube defects. In high-risk patients, as much as _____ mg a day may be prescribed.
folate (folic acid); 4
a vitamin that has been shown to significantly reduce the likelihood of a fetus suffering from a neural tube defect; also referred to as folic acid
folate
a group of neural tube defects that describe some manifestation of incomplete closure of the spine
spinal dysraphism
herniation of the cranial or spinal meninges because of an open cranial or spinal defect; contains cerebrospinal fluid, but no nerve tissue
meningocele
mass that results from open spina bifida that contains the spinal cord and the meninges; also referred to as a myelomeningocele
meningomyelocele (myelomeningocele)
closed spinal lesions that are completely covered by skin and can be difficult to identify sonographically; also referred to as closed spina bifida
spina bifida occulta (hidden)