[Pulmonary doppler. Early results in normal pregnancies].
OBJECTIVE
The study of fetal lung circulation by means of pulmonary Doppler investigation.


METHODS
Pulmonary Doppler ultrasound obtained with color pulsed-Doppler with a 3.5-5 Mhz probe. Measure of resistance index and pulsatility index.


METHODS
Forty seven pregnant women with singleton, between 18 and 39.5 weeks gestation, were recruited to have a pulmonary Doppler ultrasound. 7 fetuses had intra uterine fetal growth retardation (IUGR). Overall, 50 Doppler velocity waveforms were measured.


RESULTS
Resistance and pulsatility index were measured in all patients and at each examination. Resistance index (0.86 +/- 0.03) and pulsatility index (2.46 +/- 0.34) were found to be stable during pregnancy. Pulmonary pulsatility index in IUGR fetuses (2.71 +/- 0.33) were found to be higher than those in normotrophic infants (p = 0.006), whereas no difference was found in resistance index between the same subgroups. Moreover, no difference was found in pulsatility index measurements between preterm small-for-gestational age fetuses and normotrophic fetuses measured between 36 and 39.5 weeks gestation (2.68 +/- 0.31 vs 2.49 +/- 0.28).


CONCLUSIONS
Pulmonary resistance index is not statistically different between nomotrophic and IUGR fetuses. In contrast pulmonary pulsatility index is significantly higher in IUGR fetuses when compared with normotrophic fetuses. Pulmonary Doppler ultrasound should be evaluated in a larger trial and correlation between Doppler measurements and fetal lung maturation should be studied.
Cynober
E
E
Maternité de l'Hôpital Esquirol, Saint-Maurice.
Cabrol
D
D
Haddad
B
B
Gabriel
C
C
Moretti
J L
JL
Gamghui
S
S
Jeny
R
R
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005325:Fetal Organ Maturity; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D018617:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Pulsed; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014655:Vascular Resistance