THE VALUE OF COLOR DOPPLER ULTRASOUND IN THE PRENATAL-DIAGNOSIS OF HYPOPLASTIC UMBILICAL ARTERY

The prenatal diagnosis of hypoplastic umbilical artery has recently be en reported, based on the visualization of discordant size between bot h umbilical arteries in association with discordant umbilical artery f low velocity waveforms. In this report we present two cases of hypopla stic umbilical artery and describe the use of color flow imaging and D oppler ultrasound in the prenatal evaluation of this condition. The pr incipal advantages of these techniques include the confirmation of blo od flow within the hypoplastic artery, thus ruling out the possibility of an atrophic non-functional artery, and the demonstration of size d iscrepancy at the level of the intra-abdominal portion of the umbilica l arteries, validating the intra-amniotic cord findings. Color Doppler ultrasound is an important tool for diagnosing and evaluating vascula r anomalies affecting the umbilical cord