Four-dimensional echocardiography with spatiotemporal image correlation and inversion mode for detection of congenital heart disease.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of 4-D echocardiography with inversion mode and spatiotemporal image correlation (IM-STIC) in the detection of normal and abnormal fetal hearts. We retrospectively studied 112 normal fetuses and 16 fetuses with a confirmed diagnosis of congenital heart disease. Two volumes were acquired from each of the fetuses using transverse and sagittal sweeps. Volumes were reconstructed with IM-STIC. In normal fetuses, IM-STIC facilitated visualization of the interior structures of the fetal heart and great vessels. The visualization rates of intended planes obtained from IM-STIC 4D data ranged from 55% to 100%. In 16 fetuses with congenital heart disease, IM-STIC was able to display the cardiac malformations using digital casting. Some of the malformations were suspected during pre-natal 2-D echocardiography, and their pre-natal IM-STIC diagnoses were confirmed by post-natal echocardiography, surgery and/or autopsy. Hence, 4-D IM-STIC allows better visualization of complex congenital heart disease and should be considered a very useful addition to 2-D echocardiography.
Department of Sonography, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Heping District, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
Yue
Y
Qin
Department of Sonography, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Heping District, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
Ying
Y
Zhang
College of Basic Medical Science of China Medical University, Heping District, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
Xiaohang
X
Zhou
Department of Sonography, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Heping District, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
Yu
Y
Wang
Department of Sonography, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Heping District, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
Wei
W
Sun
Department of Sonography, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Heping District, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
Lizhu
L
Chen
Department of Sonography, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Heping District, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
Dan
D
Zhao
Department of Sonography, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Heping District, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
Ying
Y
Zhan
Department of Sonography, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Heping District, Shenyang, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: qyningmengcha@163.com.
Ailu
A
Cai
D000465:Algorithms; D019561:Echocardiography, Four-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D062211:Spatio-Temporal Analysis; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*
3-D and 4-D; Fetal heart; Inversion mode; Pre-natal diagnosis; Spatiotemporal image correlation; Ultrasound