Three-dimensional sonographic measurement of liver volume in the small-for-gestational-age fetus.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the growth of the fetal liver in normal pregnancies and to evaluate the ability of fetal liver volume measurement for prediction of small-for-gestational-age fetuses.


METHODS
Three-dimensional sonographic examinations were performed on 14 appropriate-for-gestational-age and 10 small-for-gestational-age fetuses. Liver volume and liver length were measured every 2 weeks after 20 weeks' menstrual age until delivery.


RESULTS
A curvilinear relationship was found between the menstrual age and liver volume (R2 = 88.4%; P < .0001), and a normal range of liver volume measurement for estimating the growth of the fetal liver during normal pregnancy was generated. Liver length was normal in 7 of 10 small-for-gestational-age fetuses, whereas liver volume values in all small-for-gestational-age fetuses were below normal ranges in the mid to late third trimester.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that liver volume may be a useful measurement for diagnosing small-for-gestational-age fetuses in the mid to late third trimester but that liver length may not be predictive. Further studies involving a larger sample size would be needed to confirm this suggestion.
Kuno
Atsushi
A
Department of Perinatology and Gynecology, Kagawa Medical University, Japan.
Hayashi
Yoshinobu
Y
Akiyama
Masashi
M
Yamashiro
Chizu
C
Tanaka
Hirokazu
H
Yanagihara
Toshihiro
T
Hata
Toshiyuki
T
D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal