Fetal cardiac interventricular septum: Volume assessment by 3D/4D ultrasound using spatio-temporal image correlation (STIC) and virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCAL)

Liliam Cristine Rolo, Eduardo Felix Martins Santana, Priscila Henriques da Silva, Fabricio Da Silva Costa, Luciano Marcondes Machado Nardozza, Gabriele Tonni, Antonio Fernandes Moron, Edward Araujo Júnior

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Abstract

Objective: To determine reference values for fetal interventricular septum (IVS) volume by 3D/4D ultrasound using spatio-temporal image correlation (STIC) and virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCAL). Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 consecutive normal low-risk pregnant women at a gestational age ranging from 18w0d to 33w6d. The volume data sets of the fetal heart were acquired by applying STIC to a four-chamber plane. IVS volume was calculated offline using VOCAL with rotation of 30°(six planes). To assess the correlation of fetal IVS volume as a function of gestational age (GA), Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) and polynomial regression models with adjustments through the coefficient of determination (R2) were calculated. The intra-class coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate intra- and inter-observer reproducibility. Results: A good correlation between GA and fetal IVS volume (r = 0.827) was observed. The mean fetal IVS volume ranged from 0.13 ± 0.03 cm3 (0.08-0.18 cm3) at 18wd0 of gestation to 1.33 ± 0.37 cm3 (0.41-1.98 cm3) at 33w6d. The best correlation between fetal IVS volume and GA was exponential: fetal IVS volume = 0.11e0.139xGA (R2= 0.785). A good intra- and inter-observer reliability were observed, with ICC = 0.999 and 0.991, respectively. Conclusions: Reference values for fetal IVS volume using STIC and VOCAL by 3D/4D ultrasound between 18w0d and 33w6d of gestation were determined and showed to be reliable and concordant.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1388-1393
Number of pages6
JournalThe Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine
Volume28
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Echocardiography
  • fetus
  • interventricular septum
  • reference value
  • three-dimensional ultrasound

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