Tiechl J, Abdel Azim S, Leitner K, et al. - In this study, the performance of screening for open spina bifida (OSB) integrated into the routine first-trimester screening was explored. Researchers conducted a prospective multicentre study of 4,755 women undergoing first-trimester ultrasound scans over a 4-year period. They conducted measurements of the brainstem (BS) diameter and brainstem-to-occipital-bone (BSOB) distance. They assessed cisterna magna (CM) in the tilted axial view. Screening for OSB was found to be feasible in routine first-trimester scans. It has been reported that the BS/BSOB ratio exhibits very good sensitivity and specificity. The CM width might be useful for further evaluation in cases with near-normal values for the BS/BSOB ratio.