3D ultrasound volume automatic measurement for evaluation on lung volume changes in congenital heart disease fetuses with decreased pulmonary blood flow / 中国医学影像技术

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the impact of congenital heart disease with decreased pulmonary blood flow (CHD-DPBF) on fetal lung volume development using 3D ultrasound virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCAL) technique.Methods Totally 41 fetuses with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF, TOF group) and 110 normal fetuses (control group) were enrolled. The fetal gestational age (GA), estimated fetal weight (EFW) and cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) were estimated using 2D ultrasound, while fetal lung volume (FLV) was estimated using 3D ultrasound VOCAL. FLV/EFW and FLV/GA were calculated and compared between the two groups. The correlation between FLV and GA was assessed. Results No significant difference of GA, EFW nor FLV were found between the two groups (all P>0.05). CTR in TOF group significantly increased (P<0.001), FLV/GA and FLV/EFW significantly reduced compared with control group (both P<0.05). FLV was positively correlated with GA in both groups (r=0.611, 0.547, both P<0.001). Conclusion FLV/EFW and FLV/GA values decrease in CHD-DPBF, suggest that the lung development of CHD-DPBF fetus has already been affected to some extent.