Question:

Hydramnios is diagnosed by ultrasound by all of the following, EXCEPT

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Ask which of the four choices gives a fixed, measurable number and which one does not.
Updated On: Jul 7, 2026
  • Single vertical pocket more than 8 cm
  • Single vertical pocket more than 5 cm
  • Amniotic fluid index more than 24 cm
  • Subjective assessment
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Recall how amniotic fluid volume is checked on ultrasound.
Two objective methods are commonly used, the single deepest (vertical) pocket of fluid, and the amniotic fluid index (AFI), which adds up the deepest pocket in each of the four quadrants of the uterus. Alongside these, an experienced sonologist can also form a general visual impression while scanning, though this is not a fixed numeric cutoff.

Step 2: Check the single deepest pocket cutoffs.
A single vertical pocket greater than 8 cm is the standard accepted cutoff for hydramnios. A pocket in the 5 to 8 cm range is also used in some classifications to flag a fluid volume on the higher side, so measuring the deepest pocket, whichever cutoff is applied, is a genuine ultrasound based method of diagnosis.

Step 3: Check the amniotic fluid index cutoff.
An AFI greater than 24 cm is the standard threshold for hydramnios using the four quadrant sum method. This too is an objective ultrasound measurement.

Step 4: Look at subjective assessment.
A general visual impression of too much fluid during a scan is not a measured, reproducible criterion. It depends on the observer's experience and cannot be used on its own as the defining diagnostic method, unlike the deepest pocket or the AFI, which give a fixed number to compare against a cutoff.

Final Answer:
The measured pocket depth and the amniotic fluid index are accepted ways to diagnose hydramnios on ultrasound. A general subjective impression is not treated as a defining diagnostic criterion.
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