Misclassified or misunderstood: what does anencephaly really mean?

Background: The ultrasound work-force is experiencing inconsistencies in prenatal reporting and diagnosis within the Acrania Exencephaly-Anencephaly Sequence (AEAS). Anencephaly is a fatal neural tube defect characterised by the complete absence of the cerebral hemispheres including the cranial vault (Szkodziak et al., 2020). Despite being a distinct diagnosis within this spectrum of neural tube defects, Anencephaly is commonly misclassified in clinical practice as an umbrella term to describe all stages of AEAS (Santana et al., 2018). Variations in referring to specific stages of AEAS as ‘Anencephaly’ is widespread leading to diagnostic errors and inconsistencies in ultrasound reporting. This directly impacts decisions around management options, patient counselling and termination of pregnancy taking an emotional toll on both clinical staff and anxious patients (Salamanca et al., 1992).

Purpose: This poster aims to delineate between the distinct stages of the Acrania-Exencephaly-Anencephaly sequence and advocate the use of precise terminology within clinical practice which would improve patient understanding. This poster aims to provide a clear, evidence-based explanation of AEAS and its ultrasound appearances allowing the reader to integrate this knowledge into clinical practice. Therefore, patients will receive a precise diagnosis which will contribute to a clear understanding endorsing improved decision making. Summary of content Illustrative examples of ultrasound cases at each stage of AEAS will be presented with recommendations of best practice including emphasis on enhancing the skills and knowledge required to make a confident diagnosis with practical recommendations for exploring standardised reporting across the field.

[Poster abstract no. P096]