Comparison study of harmonic imaging (HI) and fundamental imaging (FI) in fetal echocardiography.
OBJECTIVE
To directly compare the quality of harmonic imaging (HI) and fundamental imaging (FI) in fetal echocardiography and to determine any differences in image quality between the two modalities.


METHODS
Fetal echocardiograms were performed with the use of FI and HI in 58 fetuses, image quality and visualization of left and right atria, left and right ventricles, mitral and tricuspid valves, aortic and pulmonary valves, left and right ventricular outflow tracts were evaluated and compared between FI and HI.


RESULTS
Mean HI scores were higher than mean FI scores (2.73 +/- 0.43 vs 2.16 +/- 0.69, P < 0.001) for all the cardiovascular structures evaluated. Compared with FI, HI improved the image quality and visualization of fetal cardiac structures in subjects with both good (2.73 +/- 0.43 vs 2.88 +/- 0.32, P < 0.001) and suboptimal (1. 65 +/- 0.41 vs 2.58 +/- 0.47, P < 0.001) echocardiographic windows. The interobserver correlation coefficient for the grading scores was 0.74 (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
harmonic imaging enhances and improves the image quality of fetal echocardiography; and has important potential role in cardiac imaging in the fetus.
Zhao
Bo-Wen
BW
Department of Diagnostic Ultrasound, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China.
Tang
Fu-Gang
FG
Shou
Jin-Duo
JD
Xu
Hai-Shan
HS
Lu
Jiang-Hong
JH
Fan
Miao-Ying
MY
Fan
Xiao-Min
XM
Pan
Mei
M
D015331:Cohort Studies; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011786:Quality Control; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*