TAZ and myostatin involved in muscle atrophy of congenital neurogenic clubfoot.

Background: Muscular atrophy is the basic defect of neurogenic clubfoot. Muscle atrophy of clubfoot needs more scientific and reasonable imaging measurement parameters to evaluate. The Hippo pathway and myostatin pathway may be directly correlated in myogenesis.

Evaluation of right ventricular volume and systolic function in normal fetuses using intelligent spatiotemporal image correlation.

Background: Heart defects are the most common congenital malformations in fetuses. Fetal cardiac structure and function abnormalities lead to changes in ventricular volume. As ventricular volume is an important index for evaluating fetal cardiovascular development, an effective and reliable method for measuring fetal ventricular volume and cardiac function is necessary for accurate ultrasonic diagnosis and effective clinical treatment.

Identification of fetal cardiac anatomy and hemodynamics: a novel enhanced screening protocol.

Background: Prenatal cardiac screening is of great importance as it contributes to appropriate neonatal management and helps parents to make a decision regarding their pregnancy. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficiency of a newly proposed screening protocol in the detection of fetal congenital heart disease (CHD).

Methods: This was a prospective study.

Evaluation of the development of the fetal anal sphincter with tomography ultrasonography imaging.

The aim of the study described here was to examine the potential of tomography ultrasonography imaging (TUI) in evaluation of the fetal anal sphincter. In this prospective cross-sectional study of the fetal anal sphincter with TUI, 326 singleton pregnancies (mean age = 28 y, range: 22-38 y) were scanned at 19-40 wk of gestation. The fetal anal region and ischium were revealed in 320 of 326 patients (98.

Prenatal diagnosis of fetal unilateral lung agenesis complicated with cardiac malposition.

Background: Fetal unilateral lung agenesis, complicated with cardiac shifting, is a rare anomaly, the diagnosis of which remains a challenge for many sonographers in routine screening programs. The present study describes a systematic approach for the diagnosis of fetal unilateral lung agenesis and cardiac malpositions in routine prenatal screening.

Methods: A total of 18 cases of fetal unilateral lung agenesis complicated with cardiac malposition were reviewed.

Diagnosis value of focal liver lesions with SonoVue®-enhanced ultrasound compared with contrast-enhanced computed tomography and contrast-enhanced MRI: a meta-analysis.

Purposes: This study is aimed at evaluating diagnostic value of focal liver lesions (FLLs) with SonoVue(®)-enhanced ultrasound compared with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CEMRI).

Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register were searched for English language articles published from January 2000 to May 2011. Histopathologic analysis and/or close clinical and imaging follow-up (except CECT or CEMRI) for at least 6 months were used as golden reference.