ABSTRACT
Objective:To explore the clinical application value of fetal heart quantification (fetal HQ) in the analysis of 24-segment spherical index (SI) of fetal heart in normal second and third trimestries.Methods:In July 2019, sixty-five normal singletons with gestational age (GA) of 28(24, 31) weeks were examined by echocardiography in Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital. The global spherical index (GSI) of the heart was measured and the dynamic images of the standard four chamber view were collected. Twenty-four-segment SI of the left and right ventricles were measured by using the fetal HQ analysis system and the correlation between SI and gestational age was analyzed.Results:There were no significant correlations between GSI, SI of left and right ventricles and gestational age ( r s=-0.22-0.14, all P>0.05). The SI of the first segment of left ventricle was lower than those of the other 23 segments (all P<0.05). There were no significant differences of SI among the second to the eleventh segments of the left ventricle (all P>0.05). In the 13th to the 24th segments of the left ventricle, the closer to the apex of the heart, the greater the SI of the segment were noted (all P<0.05). For the right ventricle, the closer to the apex of the heart, the greater the SI of the 4th to the 24th segments were found (all P<0.05), and there were no significant differences in SI among the first to third segment( P>0.05). The success rate of fetal HQ software was 95.4%. Conclusions:The 24-segment SI of RV and LV provides a feasible and reliable quantitative method which allows for the assessment of fetal heart function from the four-chamber view.
ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the application value of Z-scores in evaluating growth of aorta (AO) and pulmonary artery (PA) diameter.Methods AO and PA diameters in 332 normal fetuses were measured twice using fetal echocardiography.Z-scores of AO and PA were obtained based on a simple linear equation using gestational age (GA),biparietal diameter (BPD) and femur length (FL) as independent variables.The difference of Z-scores calculated by twice examinations was evaluated.Results The gestation ages of the first and the second examinations of fetal echocardiography were (25.82± 2.27) weeks (range 18-35 weeks) and (30.61± 2.28) weeks (range 23-39 weeks).There were statistical significant differences of AO and PA diameters between the first and the second examinations (both P＜0.05).AO and PA diameters increased with the growth of GA in all fetuses obtained using two examinations,whereas there was no obvious change of Zscores of AO and PA with increasing GA,BPD and FL in individual pregnant woman.No statistical significant difference was found for Z-scores of AO and PA between the first and the second examinations (both P＞0.05).Conclusion The growth of AO and PA diameters are positively correlated with the growth of biological parameters in normal fetuses,while Z-scores of AO and PA remain constant in second and late trimesters.