Normal against abnormal
7 pairs
The fastest way to learn a finding is to see it beside its normal. Each pair is the same modality and, where it can be, the same plane. Say which side is which before the labels appear.
Early intrauterine pregnancy against an ectopic
Where is the sac in relation to the endometrium? Is there a yolk sac inside it? Is there anything beside the ovary?
Nuchal translucency, normal against increased
Measure the fluid behind the neck in your mind: is it a thin line or a wide band? Is the nasal bone a bright line in the profile?
Placenta, mid-pregnancy against post-term
Compare the texture of the placental tissue and the brightness of its base and septa. Where does the cord insert?
Fetal head, normal against spina bifida
The shape of the skull, the shape of the cerebellum, and the line of the spine: which of them is not what you expect?
Fetal heart rate, reassuring against late decelerations
Line each deceleration up with the contraction under it: does the nadir sit at the peak of the contraction or after it? How wide is the trace between them?
Non-stress test, reactive against non-reactive
Count the accelerations of 15 beats for 15 seconds in twenty minutes. Then look at what the baseline does between them.
Cervix, normal against ectropion
Where does the smooth pale squamous epithelium end and the red columnar epithelium begin?