Lower uterine segment thickness measurement in pregnant women with previous Cesarean section: reliability analysis using two- and three-dimensional transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the reliability of two- and three-dimensional ultrasonographic measurement of the thickness of the lower uterine segment (LUS) in pregnant women by transvaginal and transabdominal approaches.


METHODS
This was a study of 30 pregnant women who had had at least one previous Cesarean section and were between 36 and 39 weeks' gestation, with singleton pregnancies in cephalic presentation. Sonographic examinations were performed by two observers using both 4-7-MHz transabdominal and 5-8-MHz transvaginal volumetric probes. LUS measurements were performed using two- and three-dimensional ultrasound, evaluating the entire LUS thickness transabdominally and the LUS muscular thickness transvaginally. Each observer measured the LUS four times by each method. Reliability was analyzed by comparing the mean of the absolute differences, the intraclass correlation coefficients, the 95% limits of agreement and the proportion of differences < 1 mm.


RESULTS
Transvaginal ultrasound provided greater reliability in LUS measurements than did transabdominal ultrasound. The use of three-dimensional ultrasound improved significantly the reliability of the LUS muscular thickness measurement obtained transvaginally.


CONCLUSIONS
Ultrasonographic measurement of the LUS muscular thickness transvaginally appears more reliable than does that of the entire LUS thickness transabdominally. The use of three-dimensional ultrasound should be considered to improve measurement reliability.
Martins
W P
WP
Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo and Escola de Ultra-sonografia de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. wpmartins@gmail.com
Barra
D A
DA
Gallarreta
F M P
FM
Nastri
C O
CO
Filho
F M
FM
D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D015588:Observer Variation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods; D014597:Uterine Rupture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014599:Uterus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016064:Vaginal Birth after Cesarean; D055815:Young Adult