Synonymous, Anatomical Scan  or Level 2 Ultrasonography is also used.   Concepts of Color Ultrasonography or Color  Doppler do not have the same meaning as the detailed ultrasonography. Color Doppler is an ultrasound modality  which measures the blood flow velocity in any vessel. In Daily life, Color ultrasonography is mostly used synonymously with a three-dimensional (3D) or four-dimensional (4D) image. While 3D/4D methods may help to diagnose certain abnormalities, its widespread use is to get a nice face picture of the fetus which looks very pretty in some cases. But it is highly dependent on the fetal position and getting a nice picture is not possible in every scan.

 

The main reasons for performing this scan  between 18-23 weeks are as follows.

• Adequate size of baby to assess anatomical structures

• Relatively large amount of liquid around the fetuse

• Sufficient time to manage the abnormal cases thereafter

 

The following structures are evaluated:

 

• Fetal position

• Fetal Movement

• Evaluation of the cervix

• Placenta  location  and vessels in the umbilical cord

• The amount of amniotic liquid  around the fetus 

• Growth. Many biometric measurements are made for this purpose. Mostly; Biparietal Head diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference and femur bone length.

• Intracranial  structures

• Face profile, nasal bone

• Upper lip integrity

• Nuchal thickness

• Lungs

• Diaphragm membrane

• Heart size, direction and chambers

• Large vessels that enter and leave the heart

stomach

• Intestinal density ( Echogenity)

• Kidneys and urinary bladder

• Spine

• Arms, legs, hands, feet

• Measurement of long bones

• Color Doppler examination of blood flow in the main arteries leading to the uterus