title: Fetal myocardial wall area: constructing a reference range by means of spatiotemporal image correlation in the rendering mode.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish the reference range of the myocardial wall area in the fetus using three-dimensional ultrasound in the rendering mode.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, cross-sectional study including 371 singleton, uncomplicated pregnancies at 20 weeks 0 day to 33 weeks 6 days of gestation was carried out. Cardiac volumes were obtained using spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) at the level of the four-chamber view. The end-diastolic myocardial area of the both ventricles was measured manually. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to assess intra- and interobserver concordance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean myocardial area of the fetal right ventricular (RV) wall ranged from 0.86 ± 0.23 cm(2) at 20 weeks 0 day to 2.75 ± 0.69 cm(2) at 33 weeks 6 days of gestation. The mean myocardial area of the fetal left ventricular (LV) wall ranged from 0.82 ± 0.20 cm(2) at 20 weeks 0 day to 2.49 ± 0.59 cm(2) at 33 weeks 6 days of gestation. In addition, intra- and interobserver concordance for the myocardial area of the RV and LV walls was good, with ICC values of 0.94, 0.95, 0.85, and 0.93, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reference range for the myocardial area of the RV and LV walls was determined by cardio-STIC in the rendering mode at 20 weeks 0 day to 33 weeks 6 days of gestation, with good concordance between values.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Paulista School of Medicine - Federal University of São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda Silveira Bello
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.forename: Antonio Fernandes
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Moron
authors.forename: Liliam Cristine
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Rolo
authors.forename: Luciane Alves
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Wellington P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tonni
authors.forename: Luciano Marcondes Machado
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Nardozza
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Araujo Júnior
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019561:Echocardiography, Four-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult