title: Relationship between fetal head station established using an open magnetic resonance imaging scanner and the angle of progression determined by transperineal ultrasound.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the correlation between the angle of progression measured by transperineal ultrasound and fetal head station measured by open magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the gold standard, in pregnant women at full term.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one pregnant women at full term with a fetus in the occipitoanterior position were enrolled. First, the distance between the leading part of the skull and the interspinal plane was obtained using an open MRI system with the patient in a supine position. Immediately after MRI, the angle of progression was obtained by transperineal ultrasound without changing the woman's posture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant correlation between the angle of progression determined by transperineal sonography and the distance between the presenting fetal part and the level of the maternal ischial spines (y = - 0.51x + 60.8, r(2) = 0.38, P < 0.001). None of the fetal heads was engaged at the time of MRI and ultrasound examinations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrated a predictable relationship between the angle of progression obtained by transperineal ultrasound and the traditional scale used to quantify fetal head descent. Based on our results, station 0 would correspond to a 120° angle of progression. However, this correlation is based on statistical assumptions only and has to be proven in future studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Charité University Hospital, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bamberg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scheuermann
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Slowinski
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Dückelmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.forename: T N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Nguyen-Dobinsky
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Streitparth
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Teichgräber
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Henrich
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Dudenhausen
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Kalache
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology; D006801:Humans; D007746:Labor Presentation; D007747:Labor Stage, First / Q000502:physiology; D007748:Labor Stage, Second / Q000502:physiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D010502:Perineum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*