Efficacy of shear wave elastography in predicting preeclampsia in the first trimester.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of shear wave elastography (SWE) for preeclampsia (PE) in first-trimester pregnancies.

Methods: Singleton pregnant women aged 18-45 years, who underwent routine first-trimester prenatal examinations (11-13 weeks+6 days) were enrolled. Pregnancies with anterior placenta and normal first-trimester screening test results were included in the study group. The SWE measurements of six areas of the placenta were performed, and the mean value was estimated. The perinatal outcomes and the demographic data were also collected. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used for the accuracy of predicting PE.

Results: This study consisted of 84 patients, of which 9 were diagnosed with PE during the follow-up. The mean SWE value of the PE patients was higher than that of patients with normal pregnancies (p=0.002). The analysis showed that the optimal cutoff value was 7.43 kPa to predict PE in the placentas of first-trimester pregnancies, with 88% sensitivity and 78% specificity.

Conclusions: The SWE values of the placenta in the first trimester were different between normal patients and those who are subsequently developing PE. SWE may be a suitable tool for predicting PE in pregnant women.