Serial fetal lung volume measurement using three-dimensional ultrasound.
OBJECTIVE
To establish reference intervals for fetal lung growth.


METHODS
Longitudinal observational study.


METHODS
Fifty-eight women with initially uncomplicated singleton pregnancies were recruited from the antenatal population of a teaching hospital. Four women were excluded from the final analysis because of complications arising in their pregnancy.


METHODS
Each subject was serially scanned at monthly intervals. At each visit lung volume was measured using an ultrasound-based computerized three-dimensional imaging system. Multilevel models were used to determine conditional and unconditional reference intervals.


RESULTS
Reference intervals for fetal lung growth were derived. Fetal lung volume increases in a non-linear way with gestation.


CONCLUSIONS
Our computerized system has the capacity to be used in conjunction with any standard two-dimensional ultrasound scanner in order to measure volume. Lung volume measurement may be useful in predicting pulmonary hypoplasia.
Bahmaie
A
A
Department of Obstetrics, Guy's Hospital, London, UK.
Hughes
S W
SW
Clark
T
T
Milner
A
A
Saunders
J
J
Tilling
K
K
Maxwell
D J
DJ
D000328:Adult; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology*; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*