ABSTRACT
Ultrasound (US) assessment of the fetal musculoskeletal apparatus requires a global approach to the fetal body, given that skeletal dysplasias and neuromuscular diseases involve more or all anatomic regions simultaneously, because of the ubiquitous distribution of bones and muscles. The only exceptions are reduction defects of the limbs, congenital or acquired (amniotic band syndrome), which are regional by definition. Therefore, unlike other systems, assessment of the fetal musculoskeletal apparatus requires a multistep totalbody US approach, which should include assessment of the following:
• Limbs: long bones and extremities; • Spine and thorax; • Fetal head: calvarium, central nervous system
(CNS), and splanchnocranium; • Bone mineralization; • Any joint contractures and joint dislocations.
