Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40952954›Full record

ArticleFetal diagnosis and therapy2026

Prenatal Assessment of Fetal Vertebrae and Ribs by Three-Dimensional Ultrasound and the Association with Fetal and Neonatal Outcome.

Pauline C Schut, Titia E Cohen-Overbeek, Tom J M van Dooren, Annelieke Hijkoop, Marjolein H G Dremmen, Erwin Brosens, Frietson Galis, Alex J Eggink

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Article in Fetal diagnosis and therapy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Pauline C SchutDivision of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, p.schut@erasmusmc.nl.
Titia E Cohen-OverbeekDivision of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Tom J M van DoorenCNRS, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences iEES Paris, Sorbonne University Paris, Paris, France.
Annelieke HijkoopDivision of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Marjolein H G DremmenDivision of Pediatric Radiology, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Erwin BrosensDepartment of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Frietson GalisNaturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Alex J EgginkDivision of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe presence of an abnormal vertebral pattern and (rudimentary) cervical ribs in particular has been associated with adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes, such as intrauterine fetal death and structural or chromosomal abnormalities. The feasibility and potential added value of prenatal assessment of the vertebral pattern and the presence of cervical ribs are currently unclear. Aims of this study were to evaluate the feasibility of prenatal assessment of the fetal vertebral pattern and cervical ribs using three-dimensional ultrasound and determine whether an abnormal vertebral pattern is associated with adverse fetal and neonatal outcome.

methodsA total of 1,138 women referred for an advanced ultrasound examination were included, and volume data sets of the spine were acquired. The vertebral pattern was reassessed on postnatal radiographic examinations, when available. Associations between adverse outcomes and abnormalities of the vertebral pattern that had at least a good agreement between prenatal and postnatal assessments were studied.

resultsAgreement between prenatal and postnatal assessment of the presence of cervical ribs was poor, which also applied to assessment of the complete vertebral pattern. Moderate to fair agreement existed between prenatal and postnatal assessments of thoracic rib number. Prenatal and postnatal assessments of lumbar ribs had a very good agreement. Lumbar ribs were rare (10/768, 1.3%) and associated with female gender, but not with any other variable.

conclusionLumbar ribs could be assessed very well on prenatal three-dimensional ultrasound and were not associated with adverse outcomes. Prenatal and postnatal agreement between the presence of cervical ribs, number of thoracic ribs, and the vertebral pattern was insufficient.

Indexed as

Imaging, Three-DimensionalRibsSpineUltrasonography, PrenatalAdultFeasibility StudiesFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornMalePregnancyPregnancy OutcomeCervical ribLumbar ribRudimentary ribSupernumerary ribThree-dimensional ultrasound

Identifiers

PMID40952954
PMCPMC12885505

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.