Fetal Cardiac Ventricle Volumetry And Function Assessed With Four-dimensional Ultrasound Imaging Using Spatio-temporal Image Correlation

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to establish nomograms for ventricular volume by four-dimensional ultrasonography using the spatio-temporal image correlation (STIC) combined with Sonographic Automatic Volume Calculation(SonoAVC),and to calculate ejection fraction ,stroke volume and cardiac output in normal fetuses. So that it can help to quantitatively assess ventricular volume and cardiac function.Methods283 normal fetal hearts with singleton pregnancies ranging in gestational age from 18 to 34+6 weeks were scanned using the STIC modality, The STIC volumes were frozen in end-systole and end-diastole, and ventricular volume were measured by SonoAVC;Then These ventricle volumes were used to calculate stroke volume, ejection fraction and cardiac output. Regression analysis was used to study the correlation between measured volumes and gestational age.ResultsThe left and right ventricular volume,stroke volume, cardiac output , the total stroke volume and cardiac output increased with advancing gestational age.The expected left and right ventricle stroke volume increased from 0.18 mL and 0.21ml at 18 weeks to 2.18 mL and 2.57 mL, respectively, at 30 weeks. Both left and right mean ejection fraction remained constant. The mean left ejection fraction is 0.667+0.078 and the mean left ejection fraction is 0.668+0.078。ConclusionsThe fetal cardiac ventricle volumetry assessed by 4D ultrasound using spatiotemporal image correlation combined with Sonographic Automatic Volume Calculation is aviable.This result help to quantitatively assess ventricular volume and cardiac function.