Role of tomographic ultrasound imaging with spatiotemporal image correlation for identifying fetal ventricular septal defects.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to test the possibility of diagnosing ventricular septal defects (VSDs) by using tomographic ultrasound imaging (TUI) on 4-dimensional volumes of the fetal chest obtained with spatiotemporal image correlation and the color Doppler function.


METHODS
We retrospectively evaluated the 4-dimensional spatiotemporal image correlation volumes of 8 fetuses with VSDs (single in 7 and double in 1) between 20 and 33 weeks' gestation. The data were analyzed to determine whether VSDs were correctly identified in at least 1 of 7 automatically generated TUI displays.


RESULTS
All of the included VSDs were correctly identified with the use of an interslice distance in the TUI function ranging from 0.8 to 2 mm without the need to further manipulate the volume.


CONCLUSIONS
This automatic approach shows good retrieval of diagnostic cardiac planes in fetuses with VSDs, which may improve the diagnostic accuracy for this disease.
Rizzo
Giuseppe
G
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. giuseppe.rizzo@uniroma2.it
Capponi
Alessandra
A
Vendola
Marianne
M
Pietrolucci
Maria Elena
ME
Arduini
Domenico
D
D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods; D019561:Echocardiography, Four-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014054:Tomography / Q000379:methods*