Assessment of fetal cardiovascular function: ultrasound study of the fetal circulatory compartments.
Recent advances in high-resolution ultrasonography combined with color-coded Doppler analysis have enabled a new insight to be gained into fetal physiology and allowed the investigation of small, previously inaccessible fetal vessels under normal and abnormal conditions. In addition, the findings in some cases contradict the accepted fetal pathophysiology derived from animal studies. The aim of the present study is to describe new reports assessing the major compartments of the fetal cardiovascular system (heart, lung, splanchnic and fetal venous circulations) and to discuss the developments in these fields.
Achiron
R
R
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
Orvieto
R
R
D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D011168:Portal System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology