Shortening of all portions of a limb is called what?

• A. Micromelia
• B. Mesomelia
• C. Hypertelorism
• D. Proboscis

Answer: (A)

Shortening of all portions of a limb is micromelia. This means the entire limb—upper and lower segments—is proportionally reduced in length, not just a single part. It’s different from mesomelia, where the middle segments (forearm and lower leg) are shortened, and from acromelia, where the hands or feet are disproportionately short. Hypertelorism is an increased distance between the eyes, and proboscis is a craniofacial anomaly involving a tubular nasal projection; neither describes limb-length patterns. In ultrasound practice, recognizing micromelia helps categorize the limb deficiency pattern and guides evaluation for associated anomalies, with limb segments measured against gestational age norms to assess proportional shortening.