{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,16]],"date-time":"2026-07-16T02:05:08Z","timestamp":1784167508467,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,15]],"date-time":"2026-07-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784073600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Clinics and Practice"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: This study aimed to compare the visualization rates of fetal anatomical structures with standard 2D ultrasound examination versus a single 3D volume acquired during the first trimester. Methods: This multicenter prospective study was performed in nine tertiary referral centers, by experienced sonographers. A standard protocol was adopted in both 2D and 3D modalities to assess the 17 anatomical structures listed in the national and international guidelines. The included cases were non-anomalous fetuses from women booked for combined screening test between 11 + 0 and 13 + 6 weeks. Results: Two hundred and thirty-nine women were included in the study. The mean gestational age at ultrasound examination was 12 weeks \u00b1 5 days (\u00b15.4 SD). All the 17 structures were seen in 155\/239 fetuses (64.85%) at 2D evaluation and in 84\/239 (35.15%) at 3D evaluation (p = 0.001). Comparing 2D and 3D visualization, the following anatomical structures showed a statistical difference: posterior fossa (92% vs. 74%, p &lt; 0.005); neck (94.2% vs. 87.2%, p &lt; 0.001); orbits (93% vs. 85.6%, p &lt; 0.001); nasal bone (93% vs. 88.8%, p = 0.016); lung fields (99.5% vs 96.7%, p = 0.046); cardiac axis (99.5% vs. 83.9%; p &lt; 0.001); bladder (97.5% vs. 91.7%, p &lt; 0.001); abdominal wall (98.7% vs. 94.2%, p &lt; 0.001). For the other anatomical portion, no statistically significant differences were found. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that a full assessment of fetal anatomy is best performed using 2D ultrasound, while 3D ultrasound showed lower overall visualization rates, with comparable performance for selected structures, suggesting a potential supplementary use in specific clinical contexts.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/clinpract16070132","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,16]],"date-time":"2026-07-16T01:05:07Z","timestamp":1784163907000},"page":"132","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Sonographic Assessment of Fetal Anatomy in the First Trimester: A Comparative Study of Visualization Rates Using Two- and Three-Dimensional Ultrasound"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Savoia","family":"Fabiana","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6071-0245","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"La Verde","family":"Marco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giudicepietro","family":"Antonia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hospital Sant\u2019Anna e San Sebastiano, 81100 Caserta, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Minnella","family":"Gian Piero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Paolo Giaccone, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4340-7225","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fantasia","family":"Ilaria","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Obstetrics & Gynecology Unit, Hospital San Salvatore, 67100 L\u2019Aquila, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0454-7946","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sarno","family":"Laura","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Science and Dentistry, University Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Quaresima","family":"Paola","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Magna Graecia, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gerbino","family":"Martina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Santa Croce e Carle, 12100 Cuneo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Volpe","family":"Grazia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Fetal Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan C\u00e0 Granda, 20122 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dall\u2019Asta","family":"Andrea","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Morlando","family":"Maddalena","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12","DOI":"10.1159\/000490723","article-title":"Early detection of structural anomalies in a primary care setting in the Netherlands","volume":"46","author":"Bardi","year":"2019","journal-title":"Fetal Diagn. 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