Omega-shaped variant of the umbilical artery: prenatal diagnosis and outcome.

Abstract

The purpose of this series was to report on the observation of an anomalous course of the umbilical artery. Ten cases in a 25-month period are reported. An omega-shaped variant, coined the "omega sign," of one of two umbilical arteries or of a single umbilical artery was observed. In 2 cases, there were two umbilical arteries, one of them with the anomalous vessel. In 8 cases, the vessel was a single umbilical artery. In 1 case with a single umbilical artery and pericardial effusion, aneuploidy was found on amniocentesis. A second case was associated with multiple anomalies. A third case was associated with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Seven cases with the omega sign as an isolated finding, with or without a single umbilical artery, had favorable outcomes. An omega-shaped variant of the umbilical artery is likely to be more common in cases of a single umbilical artery than in cases with two umbilical arteries. It is probably a normal variant when unassociated with additional sonographically detectable structural anomalies.

• Authors: Ori Shen, Ron Rabinowitz, Gustavo Malinger, Eyal Mazaki, Avi Tsafrir
• Journal: Journal of ultrasound in medicine : official journal of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (J Ultrasound Med) Vol. 32 Issue 3 Pg. 541-4 (Mar 2013) ISSN: 1550-9613 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23443196 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Topics

• Abnormalities, Multiple (diagnostic imaging, embryology)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Pregnancy
• Pregnancy Outcome
• Reproducibility of Results
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Ultrasonography, Prenatal (methods)
• Umbilical Arteries (abnormalities, diagnostic imaging)