Vistara

The Vistara course offers a detailed journey through Natera’s Vistara single-gene noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT): what it screens for, how it works, when and why to order it, how to interpret results, and how to discuss findings with patients. Vistara expands the prenatal screening portfolio beyond chromosomal aneuploidies to include serious single-gene disorders that often occur de novo (i.e. not inherited from parents), such as Noonan syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, craniosynostosis syndromes, achondroplasia, Rett syndrome, and others. Natera+3Pubs - Diagnostics World News+3GenomeWeb+3 You will begin with background on the unmet clinical need: how many single-gene disorders are missed by standard prenatal screening, how ultrasound findings may be non-specific or appear late, and how parental history may not predict many de novo disorders. GenomeWeb+2Pubs - Diagnostics World News+2 Then the course walks you through how Vistara works: using maternal blood (from 9 weeks gestation onward) to analyze cell-free DNA, applying next-generation sequencing covering ~30 genes, how those genes were chosen (severity, frequency, clinical actionability), validation metrics (with >99% analytical sensitivity and specificity in validation studies) and how the test complements Panorama. Pubs - Diagnostics World News+2GenomeWeb+2 A key module covers when to order Vistara: for singleton pregnancies, especially when ultrasound anomalies are seen, for advanced paternal age, when parents want as much information as possible (with informed consent), or as an adjunct to other screening; what sample and gestational criteria exist; and what limitations should be communicated (for example, test does not diagnose but indicates elevated risk; possibility of false negatives, uninformative results). GenomeWeb+1 Next, you’ll learn how to interpret results: what “high probability” or “increased risk” vs “low probability” means; how to understand detection rates by gene, how to assess positive predictive value and negative predictive value in the context of pre-test risk; how to distinguish findings requiring immediate feedback vs incidental or less urgent observations. Also what follow-up diagnostic tests (CVS, amniocentesis) are indicated when Vistara shows positive for a single-gene disorder; how findings may impact management (e.g. further imaging, specialist consults, delivery planning, neonatal care).