Fetal transverse cerebellar diameter/abdominal circumference ratio in assessing fetal size.
OBJECTIVE
To test the usefulness of the fetal transverse cerebellar diameter/abdominal circumference (TCD/AC) ratio in predicting known small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants.


METHODS
The relationship between fetal TCD and AC throughout the second half of pregnancy was investigated in 635 well-dated, normal pregnancies and examined with regard to gestational age and infant birth weight percentiles.


RESULTS
One hundred eighteen (19%) fetuses were excluded due to inadequate visualization of the fetal cerebellum. A strong correlation was noted between gestational age determined by the last menstrual period and both fetal TCD (r2 = 0.91338) and AC (r2 = 0.89361) in fetuses with birth weights between the 10th and 90th percentiles (n = 407; mean 14.4, S.D. 1.2). Although the TCD/AC ratio showed a poor correlation with gestational age (r2 = 0.15788), a slight increase was noted during gestation. A TCD/AC ratio greater than 15.5 was present in 80% of SGA infants when measurements were performed within 1 week of delivery.


CONCLUSIONS
Fetal TCD/AC ratio as a gestational age-independent method could improve diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in the early detection of fetal growth abnormalities.
Haller
H
H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clinical Hospital Centre, University of Rijeka, Croatia.
Petrović
O
O
Rukavina
B
B
D000005:Abdomen / Q000502:physiology*; D000886:Anthropometry; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000502:physiology*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal