A 4D ultrasound is 3D ultrasound in motion, says the FDA. A table sets it beside the 20-week anomaly scan, with what the FDA and three ultrasound societies say about keepsake scans, the weeks the sources give, and where Egypt's Ministry of Health lists radiology-centre licences.
A 4D ultrasound is 3D ultrasound in motion, says the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA; content current as of 19 September 2024). The 20-week scan, also called the anomaly scan, is described differently: the NHS calls it a screening scan that looks for 11 conditions and is usually done between 18 and 21 weeks (page last reviewed 1 October 2024).
This page sets out what the sources say about the two scans, and where they give no answer. It does not say which scan you need: that is your doctor’s decision. It names no centre and gives no price.
In short:
- The sources give weeks for the medical scans (NHS: usually 18 to 21 weeks for the 20-week scan); the ones we read give none for a keepsake scan.
- The FDA says ultrasound solely for non-medical purposes, such as keepsake videos, has been discouraged; three ultrasound societies (AIUM, WFUMB and ISUOG, named in full under the table) discourage, disapprove of or do not endorse scans done only for keepsake images.
- No source we read says a keepsake scan can replace a medical one. If you notice a sign on the CDC’s urgent warning list, go to the nearest emergency department or call emergency services now.
Last checked: 1 November 2026, on the pages listed under Sources. Guidelines and pages change, so confirm with your doctor.
What is a 4D ultrasound?
The FDA says three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound allows visualisation of some facial features, and four-dimensional (4D) ultrasound is 3D ultrasound in motion (19 September 2024). RadiologyInfo.org, a patient site whose sponsors include the American College of Radiology, adds that some physicians also use 3D ultrasound to look at the fetus’s development (page last reviewed 1 June 2026).
4D ultrasound or the 20-week scan: what is the difference?
| Scan | What it is for | When | What the sources say about limits and conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20-week (anomaly) scan | A screening scan that looks for 11 conditions; also checks growth, the placenta and blood flow in the womb (NHS). | Usually 18 to 21 weeks, up to 23 in some cases. Always offered; your choice (NHS). | It cannot find all conditions. If it finds signs of one, you may be offered more scans and tests; the tests can tell you if your baby definitely has a condition (NHS). |
| 3D and 4D ultrasound | A way of imaging the fetus: 3D shows some facial features and 4D is 3D in motion (FDA, 2024). Some physicians also use 3D to look at the fetus’s development (RadiologyInfo, 2026). | No source we read gives a week. | The FDA calls keepsake images or videos reasonable if produced during a medically indicated exam and no additional exposure is required (2024). |
| Keepsake scan, only for the images or video | Souvenir images or video only. The FDA (2024) says it has been discouraged; the AIUM (2020) discourages it, the WFUMB (2015) disapproves of it and ISUOG (2021) does not endorse it. | No source we read gives a week. | ISUOG cites concerns about ultrasound safety and the potential for anxiety from incorrect diagnosis and, in certain cases, for false reassurance. The AIUM says freestanding commercial sites are usually without any physician review of the images. |
Sources: NHS (1 October 2024); FDA (19 September 2024); RadiologyInfo.org (1 June 2026); the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM), the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) and the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG). Read 1 November 2026. Your doctor decides which scans you have.
When is a 4D ultrasound done? And what about the fifth month?
The sources give weeks for the medical scans only. The NHS says the dating scan is offered at around 10 to 14 weeks (page reviewed 8 November 2023) and the 20-week scan is usually done between 18 and 21 weeks. WHO’s 2016 antenatal care guideline recommends one ultrasound scan before 24 weeks (recommendation B.2.4), and WHO re-affirmed its ultrasound recommendation in a 2022 update.
The sources count in weeks, not months: if you are told “the fifth month”, ask for the week. The visit schedule in weeks is in pregnancy follow-up in Egypt month by month.
Can a keepsake 4D scan replace my follow-up or the 20-week scan?
No source we read says a keepsake scan can replace a medical one. ISUOG’s 2021 statement does not endorse scans done solely for non-diagnostic purposes in souvenir settings, and sets them apart from clinics where practitioners trained, certified and recognised by national or professional bodies do diagnostic scans.
The CDC’s list of urgent maternal warning signs (page dated 15 May 2024) says to seek medical care immediately for any sign on it, including the baby’s movement stopping or slowing. The rest of the list is in pregnancy follow-up in Egypt month by month. If you have any sign on it, go to the nearest emergency department or call emergency services now. Do not wait for a scan appointment.
What should I ask my doctor about scans?
- Which scans are planned for me, and in which weeks?
- Is a 3D or 4D scan part of my care, or extra?
- Can I have a copy of every report and its images?
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In Egypt: how do I find a centre’s official address and licence?
This page names no centre, so it gives no address. The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) lists radiology-centre licences among its licensing services. Its General Administration of Radiology page lists, under its Executive Office for Protection from Radiation Hazard, licences for government and private radiology departments and centres (both undated, read 1 November 2026).
Neither page mentions ultrasound, so they do not say which licence a centre that does only ultrasound holds. We found no public lookup of licensed centres on them, which does not prove none exists.
The Universal Health Insurance Authority’s (UHIA) medical services package lists an obstetrics and gynaecology clinic and ultrasound and Doppler imaging, and does not mention 3D or 4D (undated, read 1 November 2026).
Questions for any centre (our suggestion, not an official checklist):
- Which licence does this branch hold, and does the address on it match the branch I am booking?
- Who performs the scan, and how are they trained and certified?
- Is this a scan my doctor requested, or a session for pictures only, and will a doctor review the images?
- What is the price in writing, and what does it include? See MRI and ultrasound prices in Egypt.
Where Medigize stands
Medigize is a navigation tool. It does not perform or read scans. We are building a record that moves with the patient, shared only with their consent. If you would like to follow that work, you can register your interest.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 4D ultrasound the same as the anomaly scan?
The sources describe them differently. The NHS describes the 20-week scan as a screening scan for 11 conditions, and the FDA describes 4D as 3D ultrasound in motion.
Can a 4D scan replace the 20-week scan?
No source we read says a keepsake scan can. ISUOG (2021) cites the potential for false reassurance in souvenir settings.
How much does a 4D ultrasound cost in Egypt?
This page gives no figure. How imaging prices are set is on a separate page.
Medigize is a non-diagnostic navigation tool. This is general information, not medical advice. In an emergency, call an ambulance or go to the nearest emergency department.
Sources
- US Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Ultrasound Imaging, content current as of 19 September 2024, read 1 November 2026
- NHS: 20-week scan, page last reviewed 1 October 2024, read 1 November 2026
- NHS: 12-week scan, page last reviewed 8 November 2023 (next review due 8 November 2026), read 1 November 2026
- World Health Organization: WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience (published 28 November 2016), read 1 November 2026
- World Health Organization: 2016 WHO Recommendations: Antenatal Care for a Positive Pregnancy Experience (summary table with recommendation B.2.4), read 1 November 2026
- World Health Organization: Imaging ultrasound before 24 weeks of pregnancy: 2022 update to the WHO antenatal care recommendations for a positive pregnancy experience (technical brief, 29 August 2022), read 1 November 2026
- American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM): Prudent Use and Safety of Diagnostic Ultrasound in Pregnancy, approved 19 May 2020, read 1 November 2026
- International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG): ISUOG statement on the non-diagnostic use of ultrasound in pregnancy, Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2021 (doi 10.1002/uog.23611), read 1 November 2026
- World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB): WFUMB/ISUOG Policy Statement on Souvenir Imaging of the Fetus, approved by the WFUMB Administrative Council in October 2015, read 1 November 2026
- RadiologyInfo.org: Obstetric Ultrasound (patient information page), last reviewed 1 June 2026, read 1 November 2026
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Urgent maternal warning signs and symptoms (page dated 15 May 2024), read 1 November 2026
- Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population: licensing services (in Arabic, undated page), read 1 November 2026
- Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population: General Administration of Radiology, services (in Arabic, undated page), read 1 November 2026
- Universal Health Insurance Authority: medical services package (in Arabic, undated page), read 1 November 2026
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