4D ultrasound study of fetal movement early in the second trimester of pregnancy.

AIM: To assess the frequency of fetal movement and reproducibility of fetal movement counting in normal singleton pregnancies early in the second trimester using four-dimensional (4D) ultrasound. METHODS: Twenty-nine singleton pregnancies were studied for 15 min employing 4D ultrasound at 14-16 (19 cases) and 17-19 (10 cases) weeks of gestation. The frequencies of eight fetal movements (head anteflexion, head retroflexion, body rotation, hand to face movement, general movement, isolated arm movement, isolated leg movement and mouthing movement) were evaluated. RESULTS: The most frequent fetal movements were isolated arm movements at 14-16 and 17-19 weeks' gestation. There was a significant difference only in the frequency of mouthing movement between 14-16 and 17-19 weeks' gestation (P<0.05). All fetal movements showed intra- and inter-class correlation coefficients greater than 0.87, with good intra- and inter-observer agreements. CONCLUSION: The difference in the frequency of mouthing movement at 14-16 and 17-19 weeks' gestation may be due to increasing fetal swallowing because of the increasing amniotic fluid early in the second trimester of pregnancy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the reproducibility assessment of fetal movement counting using 4D ultrasound. However, the data and their interpretation in the present study should be taken with some degree of caution because of the small number of subjects studied. Further studies involving a larger sample size are needed to assess the reproducibility of fetal movement counting using 4D ultrasound.

Antenatal diagnosis of idiopathic dilatation of pulmonary artery with 3D power doppler imaging.

We present a case of antenatal diagnosis of idiopathic dilatation of the pulmonary artery by three-dimensional power Doppler imaging (HDliveFlow with silhouette mode). Two-dimensional sonography clearly demonstrated a 10.4-mm-diameter fetal pulmonary artery (PA), whereas the aorta (Ao) diameter was 5.04 mm. HDliveFlow clearly demonstrated the spatial relationships and different sizes of PA and Ao. The PA size returned to normal (8.0 mm) on the 11th day after birth (Ao: 9.0 mm). HDliveFlow may be an adjunctive tool to two-dimensional sonography to diagnose abnormalities of fetal great vessels. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 45:121-123, 2017.

Three-Dimensional Color/Power Doppler Sonography and HD live Silhouette Mode for Diagnosis of Molar Pregnancy.

We present our experience of using new 3-dimensional color/power Doppler sonography (HDliveFlow; GE Healthcare Japan, Tokyo, Japan) with the HD live silhouette mode for diagnosing complete molar pregnancy in the first trimester and differentiating it from missed abortion with hydropic degeneration. In the case of a complete mole, color Doppler sonography showed numerous vesicles without blood vessels, whereas HDliveFlow with the HD live silhouette mode clearly depicted these vesicles forming a mass with the clear demarcation of its edges and showed no blood flow inside the mass. In contrast to the hydropic abortion, which appeared as some vesicles with many blood vessels around them on color Doppler sonography, HDliveFlow with the HD live silhouette mode showed some vesicles embedded within the abundant blood vessels. The spatial relationship between the vesicles and surrounding highly vascularized uterus could be shown on HDliveFlow with the HD live silhouette mode. This technique might be beneficial as an additional diagnostic tool along with conventional color/power Doppler sonography, and it facilitates the early discrimination of these cases in the first trimester of pregnancy.

HDlive Silhouette Mode With Spatiotemporal Image Correlation for Assessment of the Fetal Heart.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this article is to present our experience with normal and abnormal fetal cardiac structures reconstructed in the HDlive silhouette mode (GE Healthcare Japan, Tokyo, Japan) with spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC). METHODS: Twenty-two fetuses with normal hearts and 1 fetus with a congenital heart anomaly (Ebstein anomaly) at 20 to 36 weeks' gestation were studied in the HDlive silhouette mode with STIC. RESULTS: In normal fetal hearts, 4 cardiac chambers and crisscross arrangements of the pulmonary artery and aorta were clearly identified. This modality facilitated visualization of the relationships and course of the outflow and inflow tracts, thus helping the operators more effectively understand the spatial relationships among the cardiac chambers and vessels. The opening and closing of mitral, tricuspid, pulmonary, and aortic valves were ascertained in the en face view of both atrioventricular valves and great vessels. In the fetus with Ebstein anomaly, a low attachment of the tricuspid valve and an enlarged right atrium were evident. CONCLUSIONS: The HDlive silhouette mode with STIC provides new visual experiences for physicians, owing to the anatomically clear depiction of fetal cardiac structures, and it may be an easier way to depict the spatial relationships among fetal cardiac chambers, great arteries, and veins.

Comparison of chromosome analysis using cell culture by coverslip technique with flask technique.

OBJECTIVE: To determine accuracy rate ofchromosome study from amniotic cellculture by coverslip technique compared with flask technique and to compared timing ofamniotic cell culture, amount ofamniotic cell culture media and cost ofamniotic cell culture. STUDY DESIGN: Cross sectional study. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Phramongkutklao Hospital. Subjects: 70 pregnant women who underwent amniocentesis at Phramongkutklao Hospital during November 1, 2007 to February 29, 2008. INTERVENTION: Amniotic cell culture by flask technique and coverslip technique. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Accuracy of amniotic cell culture for chromosome study by coverslip technique compared with flask technique. RESULTS: Totally 70 pregnant women who underwent to amniocentesis and dividedamniotic fluid to cell culture by flask technique and coverslip technique. 69 samples had similar resultfrom both techniques. The only one sample had cell culture failure inboth methods due to blood contamination. Accuracy in coverslip technique was 100% compared with flask technique. In timing of amniotic cell culture, amount ofamniotic cell culture media and cost of amniotic cell culture between 2 methods that coverslip technique was lesser than flask technique. CONCLUSION: There is statistically significant of accuracy in chromosome result between coverslip technique and flask technique. Coverslip technique was lesser than flask technique in timing, amniotic cell culture media and costs ofamniotic cell culture.