Fig. 2

Neural tube defect following termination of pregnancy in a foetus at 16 weeks gestation. On external examination at autopsy (a), the large neural tube defect is readily appreciated. The corresponding post-mortem ultrasound images were obtained 4 days after death in transverse (b) and sagittal (c) planes, demonstrating the absence of posterior vertebral elements (dotted arrows), irregular thoracolumbar vertebral ossification (solid arrows) and high conus medullaris of the spinal cord (asterisk). The lateral post-mortem radiograph of the spine (d) was able to demonstrate sacral spinal dysraphism and irregular thoracolumbar vertebral ossification (solid arrow), although these findings were better depicted on ultrasound