Relationship between aortic isthmus and ductus venosus velocity waveforms in severe growth restricted fetuses.

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of abnormalities in velocity waveforms from ductus venosus (DV) and aortic isthmus (AoI) in fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and their reciprocal temporal relationship.

Methods: DV and AoI velocity waveforms were recorded in 31 IUGR fetuses characterized either by absent end diastolic (20) or reverse flow (11) in umbilical artery. Abnormal velocity waveforms in DV and AoI were defined in presence of reverse diastolic flows.

Use of the 3-vessel view to record Doppler velocity waveforms from the aortic isthmus in normally grown and growth-restricted fetuses: comparison with the long aortic arch view.

Objective: Aortic isthmus (AoI) velocity waveforms are considered powerful indicators of hemodynamic deterioration in intrauterine growth-restricted (IUGR) fetuses. However, technical difficulties in sampling AoI velocity waveforms from the longitudinal aortic arch (LAA) have limited its clinical application thus far. In this study, we tested the possibility of recording AoI velocity waveforms from the 3-vessel (3V) view of the fetal mediastinum and comparing the agreement of these measurements with recordings from the LAA.

Examination of the fetal heart by four-dimensional ultrasound with spatiotemporal image correlation during routine second-trimester examination: the 'three-steps technique'.

Objective: To prospectively analyze the accuracy and rapidity of four-dimensional (4D) ultrasonography with spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) in the assessment of four-chamber view and outflow tracts in unselected fetuses and in fetuses with congenital heart defects (CHD) at 19-23 weeks of gestation.

Materials And Methods: 112 consecutive pregnancies undergoing routine second-trimester ultrasonographic scan and 10 pregnancies with fetuses with CHD affecting the great arteries formed the study group. From the four-chamber view, volumes of the fetal heart were acquired by the STIC technique and stored for a later offline analysis that was performed by two examiners blinded to the characteristics of the fetuses.

Role of tomographic ultrasound imaging with spatiotemporal image correlation for identifying fetal ventricular septal defects.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test the possibility of diagnosing ventricular septal defects (VSDs) by using tomographic ultrasound imaging (TUI) on 4-dimensional volumes of the fetal chest obtained with spatiotemporal image correlation and the color Doppler function.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the 4-dimensional spatiotemporal image correlation volumes of 8 fetuses with VSDs (single in 7 and double in 1) between 20 and 33 weeks' gestation. The data were analyzed to determine whether VSDs were correctly identified in at least 1 of 7 automatically generated TUI displays.

Application of automated sonography on 4-dimensional volumes of fetuses with transposition of the great arteries.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess, in second-trimester fetuses with transposition of the great arteries (TGA), the performance of software (sonographically based volume computer-aided analysis) that automatically retrieves diagnostic cardiac planes from a 4-dimensional volume of the fetal chest obtained with spatiotemporal image correlation.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the 4-dimensional spatiotemporal image correlation volumes of 12 fetuses with TGA (complete TGA, 10 cases; correct TGA, 2 cases). The data were analyzed to determine whether the target diagnostic planes, that is, cardiac plane 1 (left ventricle outflow tract) and cardiac plane 2 (right ventricle outflow tract), were correctly identified in at least 1 of the 7 automatically generated tomographic sonographic image displays and whether they allowed diagnosis of TGA.

Fetal cardiac stroke volume determination by four-dimensional ultrasound with spatio-temporal image correlation compared with two-dimensional and Doppler ultrasonography.

Objective: To assess the agreement of stroke volume (SV) measured with two-dimensional (2D) ultrasonography with Doppler capability (vs) four-dimensional (4D) with spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) in normal and growth restricted fetuses.

Methods: 2D Doppler and 4D STIC were used to measure SV of 40 normal fetuses at 20 to 22 and 28 to 32 weeks, and 16 growth-restricted fetuses at 26 to 34 weeks of gestation. Intraclass correlation was used to evaluate the agreement between left and right SV obtained by the two techniques, and proportionate Bland-Altman plots constructed.

First trimester uterine Doppler and three-dimensional ultrasound placental volume calculation in predicting pre-eclampsia.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of uterine artery Doppler velocimetry and three-dimensional ultrasound placental volume calculation alone or in combination in predicting at 11-14 weeks of gestation those pregnancies who will develop pre-eclampsia.

Study Design: This was a prospective study of 348 nulliparous women scheduled for a routine prenatal ultrasound examination at 11-14 weeks. Color and pulsed wave Doppler was used to obtain uterine artery flow velocity waveforms transabdominally and the mean pulsatility index (PI) of the uterine arteries was calculated.