To explore the value of systematic continuous sequence approach combined with two- and three-dimensional ultrasonography in screening of fetal hand deformity.

Systematic continuous sequence approach was performed with two- and three-dimensional u1trasonography in 28 541 cases to detect the fetal hand from January 2011 to December 2014 in the 105th Hospital of PLA. Prenatal ultrasonic diagnosis was compared with clinical delivery follow-up and pathology results of induced labour, then prenatal ultrasound features of various fetal hand deformities and the causes of missed diagnosis were analyzed.

Thirty-four cases of fetal hand deformity were diagnosed out of 28 541 fetuses by prenatal ultrasonography (43 hands). In the 34 cases, there were 5 cases of cleft hand, 13 cases of ectrodactyly with fingers abnormal morphology, 3 cases of forearm and hand dysplasia, 7 cases of wrist or finger abnormal posture and 6 cases of hand absence of abnormal. Three missed cases included 1 case of polydacty, 1 case of middle phalanx and distal phalanx of the little thumb absence and 1 case of middle phalanx of little thumb absence. Hand deformity rate was 0.13% (37/28 541). The detection rate of prenatal ultrasonography was 91.89% (34/37). The rate of hand deformity complicated deformity with one or more other organ was 52.94% (18/34). The rate of chromosome abnormalities was 13.51% (5/37). Cleft hand showed that fetal hand from the central longitudinal split into two halves. Ectrodactyly with fingers abnormal morphology showed that one or multiple fingers were absent combined with residual finger abnormal morphology. Forearm and hand dysplasia showed that the forearm was abnormally developed, the ulna and radius were short and the structure of the wrist disappeared. Wrist or finger abnormal posture showed that a hook-shaped wrist or half fist shaped hand, thumb adduction flexion, the index finger bending baroclinic on the dorsal of the middle finger and small finger bending baroclinic on the dorsal of the ring finger dorsal. Hand absence showed that no fetal hands.

Application of systematic continuous sequence approach combined with real time three-dimensional ultrasonography in the diagnosis of fetal hand deformity, such as ectrodactyly with fingers abnormal morphology and wrist or finger abnormal posture, can make up for the shortage of two-dimensional ultrasonography and obtain more diagnostic information.