title: Satisfactory rate of post-processing visualization of fetal cerebral axial, sagittal, and coronal planes from three-dimensional volumes acquired in routine second trimester ultrasound practice by sonographers of peripheral centers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility to visualize central nervous system (CNS) diagnostic planes from three-dimensional (3D) brain volumes obtained in ultrasound facilities with no specific experience in fetal neurosonography.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five sonographers prospectively recorded transabdominal 3D CNS volumes starting from an axial approach on 500 consecutive pregnancies at 19-24 weeks of gestation undergoing routine ultrasound examination. Volumes were sent to the referral center (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università Roma Tor Vergata, Italy) and two independent reviewers with experience in 3D ultrasound assessed their quality in the display of axial, coronal, and sagittal planes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CNS volumes were acquired in 491/500 pregnancies (98.2%). The two reviewers acknowledged the presence of satisfactory images with a visualization rate ranging respectively between 95.1% and 97.14% for axial planes, 73.72% and 87.16% for coronal planes, and 78.41% and 94.29% for sagittal planes. The agreement rate between the two reviewers as expressed by Cohen's kappa coefficient was >0.87 for axial planes, >0.89 for coronal planes, and >0.94 for sagittal planes. The presence of a maternal body mass index >30 alters the probability of achieving satisfactory CNS views, while existence of previous maternal lower abdomen surgery does not affect the quality of the reconstructed planes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CNS volumes acquired by 3D ultrasonography in peripheral centers showed a quality high enough to allow a detailed fetal neurosonogram.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata", Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: Maria Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Pietrolucci
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Capece
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cimmino
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Colosi
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferrentino
authors.forename: Carmine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sica
authors.forename: Aniello
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Meglio
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arduini
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities*; D004453:Echoencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D009421:Nervous System Malformations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*