title: Feasibility of detection of the 3-vessel and trachea view using 3-dimensional sonographic volumes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability to depict the 4-chamber and 3-vessel and trachea views of the fetal heart using 3-dimensional sonography.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three-dimensional color Doppler volumes of the fetal heart were acquired prospectively in 31 fetuses between 19 and 25 gestational weeks. The initial plane consisted of the 4-chamber view. Postprocessing included navigation within the volume solely in plane A in the caudal direction to visualize the stomach and in the cephalic direction to the plane of the 3-vessel and trachea view to visualize the pulmonary artery, the aorta, the V shape and color of the arches, the superior vena cava, and the trachea. The feasibility of showing these organs was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The estimated time for volume acquisition and manipulation was about 60 seconds. The detection rates for the 4-chamber view, stomach, 3-vessel view, trachea, and V sign were 100%, 93.5%, 92.0%, 77.4%, and 83.9%, respectively, with interobserver agreement of 0.76 to 1.0.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We describe a simple technique in which a single sweep on 3-dimensional sonography starting at the level of the 4-chamber view can visualize the situs, stomach, 4-chamber view, and transverse view of the outflow tracts of the heart.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, 52621 Ramat Gan, Israel. alinabrenner@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weissmann-Brenner
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zajicek
authors.forename: Boaz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weisz
authors.forename: Dolores H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Pretorius
authors.forename: Reuven
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Achiron
authors.forename: Liat
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gindes
mesh_terms: D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D056888:Patient Positioning / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014132:Trachea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*
keywords: 3-dimensional sonography; 3-vessel and trachea view; fetal heart; obstetric ultrasound; outflow tracts