title: [Ultrasonographic determination of amniotic fluid--comparison of two methods].
abstract: A study was performed in order to find a suitable ultrasonographic method of determining amniotic fluid volumes. Volumes were measured in 398 gravidae with no fetal or maternal pathology. The Depot V method described by Chamberlain et al. and Phelan et al.'s four-quadrant method were used to perform the measurements. Normal-value curves were prepared from the results. The reproducibility of the two methods was also verified. The results of the study showed that the normal-value curve derived from the four-quadrant method was in very good agreement with the results of the quantitative indicator dilution methods described by Queenan et al., which also indicated a marked decrease in volume after GW 34. It may be concluded from this that the four-quadrant method produces representative figures for the actual volume of amniotic fluid. A further distinctive feature of the four-quadrant methods is its very good reproducibility. The decrease in the fluid volume towards the end of gestation could not be demonstrated by the Depot V method. The four-quadrant method may therefore be regarded as a suitable semi-quantitative ultrasonographic method of determining the amniotic fluid volume.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Geburtsmedizin, Univ.-Frauenklinik Charlottenburg.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wurl
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Dudenhausen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*
vernacular_title: Ultrasonographische Fruchtwasser-Mengen-Bestimmung--Vergleich zweier Methoden.