ABSTRACT
The introduction in clinical practice of the new high-frequency transabdominal transducers has boosted the possibility of assessing fetal anatomy at the end of the first trimester of pregnancy. With the exception of high BMI women, this technologic advancement has yielded fantastic results in terms of resolution and, hence, diagnostic capabilities for all anatomic districts. As far as the fetal brain is concerned, this process has led to a significant update of the international guidelines on screening and diagnosis of CNS/PNS that now include a full section on screening and diagnosis of major fetal brain and spinal abnormalities at 12–14 gestational weeks [1,2]. However, it must be emphasized that the major screening scan for fetal brain malformations remains the 19–21 weeks’ gestation one (referred to as anomaly scan – see Chapter 2).
