Correlation of the fetal cerebellar volume with other fetal growth indices by three-dimensional ultrasound.
OBJECTIVE
To verify the correlation of fetal cerebellar volume by three-dimensional ultrasound (3D US) with other indices of fetal growth in normal fetuses.


METHODS
This was a longitudinal prospective study involving 52 normal pregnant women between 20 and 32 weeks of gestation. The assessments of the fetal cerebellar volume were carried out at intervals of two weeks, and the method used was VOCAL (virtual organ computer-aided analysis) with a 30 degrees rotation angle. At each assessment, the following biometric indices were evaluated using the two-dimensional method: biparietal diameter, head circumference, transverse cerebellar diameter, femur length, and estimated fetal weight. We used Pearson's correlation coefficient to evaluate the correlation between fetal cerebellar volume and these indices; we also used polynomial regression analysis with fetal cerebellar volume as the dependent variable and the other indices as the independent variable.


RESULTS
The fetal cerebellar volume was highly correlated with gestational age (r = 0.94; p < 0.001) and with all other fetal growth indices (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The assessment of the fetal cerebellar volume by 3D US is an important tool to evaluate fetal growth.
Obstetrics Department, Sao Paulo Federal University (Unifesp/EPM), São Paulo, SP, Brazil. araujojred@terrra.com.br
Edward
E
Araujo Júnior
Claudio Rodrigues
CR
Pires
Luciano Marcondes Machado
LM
Nardozza
Hélio Antonio Guimarães
HA
Filho
Antonio Fernandes
AF
Moron
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000254:growth & development*; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D020567:Fetal Weight; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal