I apologize in advance for the stupid question but...

What is a Level I and Level II?

This is all new to me but I see it posted on here often and always wonder

Thanks!

Re: I apologize in advance for the stupid question but...

They are looking for various organ developments....

A level II ultrasound examination refers to a 'targeted' examination. This is usually performed at a perinatal center where more expertise in ultrasound scanning is available.

Situations when a level II scan is ordered include:
suspected fetal anomaly during a level I examination, severe IUGR, elevated maternal-serum AFP, Oligohydramnios, polyhydramnios, two-vessel umbilical cord detected at the level I examination, fetal cardiac arrhythmia, and exposure to drugs or chemicals in the first trimester....etc. Detailed scanning for any congenital anomalies and growth abnormalities is done on top of the basic documentations obtained at the level I examination, which refers to:
in the first trimester,
a. documentation of the location of the gestational sac.
b. documentation of the crown-rump length.
c. documentation of the presence or absence of fetal life.
d. evaluation of the uterus (including cervix) and adnexa.
in the second and third trimester,
a. documentation of fetal life, number, and presentation.
b. documentation of an estimate of amniotic fluid volume.
c. documentation of placental location.
d. documentation of gestational age. Assessment of the BPD, FL, AC and othe fetal parameters.
e. documentation of basic fetal anatomy (including a basic 4 chamber view of the heart, spine, stomach, kidneys, bladder, umbilical cord insertion ... etc ).

One should not not dwell too much on the definitions or guildlines for a level II ultrasound scan. In a level II scan the sonologist should try as hard as he can to look for and assess any abnormality that is present in the fetus. It's meaningless to be thinking about level III or even level IV scans.

Re: I apologize in advance for the stupid question but...