title: Transvaginal 3-d power Doppler ultrasound evaluation of the fetal brain at 10-13 weeks' gestation.
abstract: The objective of this study was to measure the fetal brain volume (FBV) and vascularization and blood flow using transvaginal 3-D power Doppler (3DPD) ultrasound late in the first trimester of pregnancy. 3DPD ultrasound examinations with the VOCAL imaging analysis program were performed on 36 normal fetuses from 10-13 weeks' gestation. FBV and 3DPD indices related to the fetal brain vascularization (vascularization index [VI], flow index [FI] and vascularization flow index [VFI]) were calculated in each fetus. Intra- and interclass correlation coefficients and intra- and interobserver agreements of measurements were assessed. FBV was curvilinearly correlated well with the gestational age (R2 = 0.861, p < 0.0001). All 3-D power Doppler indices (VI, FI and VFI) showed no change at 10-13 weeks' gestation. FBV and all 3-D power Doppler indices (VI, FI and VFI) showed a correlation > 0.82, with good intra- and interobserver agreement. Our findings suggest that 3-D ultrasound is a superior means of evaluating the FBV in utero, and that 3-D power Doppler ultrasound histogram analysis may provide new information on the assessment of fetal brain perfusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Perinatology and Gynecology, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kagawa, Japan. toshi28@med.kagawa-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Noguchi
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology* / Q000502:physiology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D004453:Echoencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D011247:Pregnancy; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*; D014621:Vagina / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging