Distended jugular lymphatic sacs in fetuses with increased nuchal translucency: correlation with first-trimester findings in aberrant karyotypes

Purpose: We investigated the prognostic relevance of ultrasound visibility of distendend jugular lymphatic sacs (JLS) in fetuses with aberrant karyotypes in First-trimester-screening. Furthermore we tried to differentiate between increased nuchal translucency (NT) and cystic hygroma colli. Material and methods: We performed a retrospective single center study in 1874 patients presenting for First-trimester-screening between 2009 and 2013. All fetuses with an abnormal risk calculation and NT> 2.5 mm (95th percentile) were reviewed for ultrasound visibility of JLS. A group of 30 fetuses with normal risk calculatio…