Diagnostic value of echocardiographic detection in the differentiation of normal and coarctation of the aorta in fetuses / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To establish normal reference indexes of aorta during gestation and cut-points for detection of fetuses with coarctation of aorta.Methods From long-axis views of the aortic arch,the internal diameter of the aortic root,ascending aorta,transverse aortic arch,aortic isthmus,descending aorta,anonyma,left common carotid artery,left subclavian artery were measured in 234 normal fetuses at different time ranging from 14 to 41 weeks during gestation.Reference values of each aortic segment were constructed by linear regression analysis.The ratio of each aortic segment to the ascending aorta were calculated.ResultsThe internal diameter in each aortic segments increased as pregnancy progressed (P<0.01).In the prenatal diagnosis of fetus with coarctation of the aorta,the ratio of the aortic isthmus to the ascending aorta and descending aorta to the ascending aorta were significantly lower than the normal fetuses(all P<0.01).Conclusions The ratio of the aortic isthmus to the ascending aorta and ratio of descending aorta to the ascending aorta detected by echocardiography may be helpful in the prenatal diagnosis of coarctation of aorta.