[Doppler sonography in the fetal pulmonary artery].
BACKGROUND
One of the main causes of early neonatal death is underdevelopment of the respiratory system. Apart from the time factor the pulmonary circulation is the most important component of lung maturation. It can be anticipated, therefore, that the investigation of the pulmonary circulation offers a key to the assessment of the functional capacity of the fetal lungs.


METHODS
The authors investigated the velocity wave forms in 133 singleton fetuses in the course normal low risk pregnancies between 35 and 41 weeks gestation utilizing color coded Doppler ultrasonography.


RESULTS
We were successful in visualizing the blood flow velocity waveforms in the right and/or left proximal pulmonary arteries were visualized successfully in 122 (91.7%) of the 133 cases. The wave forms were identical in the right and left pulmonary arteries. The mean pulsatile index was 3.32.


CONCLUSIONS
Direct measurement of the blood velocity in the pulmonary artery offers insight into the physiologic and pathologic processes in the fetal respiratory system. The relevant observations are likely to be helpful in the prenatal identification of fetuses who are candidates for neonatal pulmonary diseases.
Jakobovits
Akos
A
Toldy Ferenc Kórház, Cegléd, Szülészeti és Nógyógyászati Osztály.
Szekeres
Lajos
L
D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation; D012212:Rheology; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D018617:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Pulsed
Doppler-szonográfiás keringésvizsgálatok a magzati arteria pulmonalisban.