3D & 4D Ultrasound in Delhi
Surface-rendered and live-motion imaging, used where it adds diagnostic value — and honestly labelled where it does not.
What 3D & 4D ultrasound involves
3D ultrasound reconstructs a surface image from the same sound waves as a standard scan; 4D adds movement in real time. Clinically, 3D is genuinely useful for facial clefts, certain skeletal and neural tube defects, and for assessing the shape of the uterine cavity in gynaecology.
It is also widely sold as a keepsake, which is a different thing. We will do a short 3D view at a growth scan if the baby is well positioned and you would like one, but we do not sell standalone souvenir packages, and we are clear that a 3D image adds nothing to the safety of the pregnancy.
Who this is for
- Suspected facial cleft or other surface anomaly on a 2D scan
- Skeletal or neural tube abnormalities needing surface definition
- 3D assessment of uterine cavity shape — septate, bicornuate or T-shaped uterus
- Parents who would like a brief look, as part of a clinically indicated scan
Not everything on this list means you need this treatment. The workup comes first, and the recommendation follows from what it shows — not from what was booked before you arrived.
Step by step
Standard 2D scan first
The diagnostic work is done in 2D. 3D is an addition, never a substitute.
Surface rendering
Where a surface view helps — the face, spine or limbs — the volume is reconstructed and examined.
4D in motion
Real-time movement, useful for assessing fetal behaviour and for a brief look for the parents.
Reporting
Any 3D finding is confirmed against the 2D images before it goes in the report.
Your results, in writing
Whatever the outcome of 3D & 4D ultrasound, you leave each stage with the findings written down — what was done, what was found, what it means, and what the options are from here. Reports are issued the same day wherever the laboratory allows it.
Case study: A cleft seen in 2D, defined in 3D
28, Dwarka · suspicious facial view at the anomaly scan
What she came in with
The 19-week anomaly scan raised a question about the fetal upper lip, which was difficult to see clearly in the standard coronal 2D view because of the baby's position.
What the workup showed
3D surface rendering, once the baby moved into a better position, confirmed a unilateral left-sided cleft lip. Careful 2D assessment of the palate in the axial plane showed the alveolar ridge was also involved, making it a cleft lip and palate rather than lip alone.
What we did
Referral to fetal medicine for confirmation, a genetics consultation since cleft can be part of a wider syndrome, a fetal echocardiogram, and an antenatal meeting with the paediatric plastic surgery and cleft team so the parents knew the repair pathway before the birth.
Outcome
An isolated cleft with a normal karyotype and normal heart. Feeding support was arranged from birth and lip repair was performed at three months.
The point of this case
3D was used here for what it is actually good at — defining a surface anomaly seen on 2D — rather than as a keepsake. Knowing before birth let the family meet the surgical team and arrange feeding support in advance.
Illustrative case. This is a composite of presentations commonly seen in this practice, written for explanation — it is not the record of an identifiable patient, and no individual's details are used. Outcomes vary, and nothing here is a prediction of what will happen in your case.
What is different about having this done here
3D offered where it has diagnostic value, not sold as a package
Best window is 26–30 weeks, when there is enough fat and enough fluid for a clear image
No guarantee of a good picture — position and fluid decide it, and we say so beforehand
3D uterine assessment available for gynaecology and recurrent miscarriage work
Treated by the consultant, not by a rotating team
Dr. Tiwari performs the scans, the procedure and the follow-up herself, and looks after any pregnancy that results. Over a long treatment course that continuity is the difference between being known and being processed.
- MBBS, MS (Obstetrics & Gynaecology), FNB (Reproductive Medicine)
- Over ten years in reproductive medicine and gynaecological surgery
- Consultations and scans at Mother's Hope, Katwaria Sarai; theatre work at SHE Delhi Hospital, Greater Kailash II
- Itemised costs given in writing before anything begins
Areas we see patients from
Both locations are in South Delhi. Patients travelling from further out have appointments grouped to cut down the number of trips.
Questions about 3D & 4D ultrasound
Is 4D ultrasound safe?
Diagnostic ultrasound has an excellent safety record. The principle we follow is that scans should be done for a medical reason and kept as short as is reasonable, which is why we do not offer long non-medical sessions.
When is the best time for a 3D face image?
Between about 26 and 30 weeks. Earlier there is too little subcutaneous fat, later the baby is often too cramped and facing the placenta or the spine.
Will I definitely get a clear picture?
No. It depends entirely on how the baby is lying and how much fluid is in front of the face. Roughly one session in four does not produce a good facial image, and we will not charge you for a keepsake we could not get.
Talk it through before you commit
Consultations run for a full hour. Bring any previous reports — they are reviewed properly, not repeated.