What ultrasound finding is often associated with anencephaly?

The finding often associated with anencephaly is described as a "Mickey mouse" appearance. This term refers to a specific ultrasound characteristic where the fetal head appears to be shaped like the Mickey Mouse character. Anencephaly is a neural tube defect where the major parts of the brain are missing, and this condition leads to distinctive physical features on ultrasound.

The "Mickey mouse" morphology arises due to the absence of the brain, which results in a flat skull shape that can resemble the iconic character's ears and head. This appearance is noted when evaluating the profile of the fetus during an ultrasound, allowing practitioners to suspect anencephaly upon visual assessment.

Understanding the ultrasound features of anencephaly is crucial for genetic counselors and medical practitioners, as it aids in early detection and informs management decisions for the pregnancy. Other skull shape findings, such as the bell-shaped or cloverleaf skull, may relate to different conditions or disorders, but they are not specifically tied to anencephaly, making the "Mickey mouse" appearance the most relevant and recognized characteristic for this neural tube defect.