Major fetal structural malformations: the role of new imaging modalities.

Prenatal diagnosis has embraced a recent wave of innovative imaging modalities including three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound and fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Traditional two-dimensional (2D) ultrasonography remains the standard method by which major structural abnormalities are diagnosed antenatally, but advances in technology are opening new doors. Growth in our knowledge about fetal development, improved patient counseling, and more favorable perinatal outcomes are all potential benefits of incorporating new imaging modalities into clinical practice. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.