title: Quantification of elasticity changes in the myometrium during labor using Supersonic Shear Imaging: a feasibility study.
abstract: Very little is known about the myometrium's physiology in terms of its elasticity but shear wave elastography could be an efficient tool to better understand it. This could considerably help the prevention of difficult births, the consequences of which are tremendous for neonate morbidity and pathologies. The purpose of this paper is to show the feasibility of the in vivo monitoring of myometrial stiffness changes in contraction and relaxation during pregnancy. In this study, Supersonic Shear Wave Imaging, a real-time and quantitative imaging technique that has been proven efficient for the investigation of tissue elasticity, was used to quantify the uterus shear-wave speed and stiffness in 6 patients, through the abdomen, using an 8-MHz linear ultrasound probe. Changes in shear wave speed were tracked in real time during the uterine contraction and were well correlated with the uterine pressure, which is currently considered to be a gold standard. These results open a new way to better understand the myometrium contraction during labour.
authors.affiliation: Institut Langevin - Ondes et images, ESPCI ParisTech, CNRS UMR7587, INSERM U979, Université Paris VII, 1 rue Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France. Electronic address: jl.gennisson@espci.fr.
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gennisson
authors.affiliation: Institut Langevin - Ondes et images, ESPCI ParisTech, CNRS UMR7587, INSERM U979, Université Paris VII, 1 rue Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.affiliation: APHP, Université Paris Sud, Hôpital Antoine Béclère, Service de gynécologie-obstétrique et médecine de la reproduction, 157 Rue de la Porte de Trivaux, 92140 Clamart, France.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gabor
authors.affiliation: APHP, Université Paris Sud, Hôpital Antoine Béclère, Service de gynécologie-obstétrique et médecine de la reproduction, 157 Rue de la Porte de Trivaux, 92140 Clamart, France.
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Frydman
authors.affiliation: Université Paris Sud, APHP, Hôpital Antoine Béclère, Service d'imagerie médicale, 157 Rue de la Porte de Trivaux, 92140 Clamart, France.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Musset
authors.affiliation: Institut Langevin - Ondes et images, ESPCI ParisTech, CNRS UMR7587, INSERM U979, Université Paris VII, 1 rue Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Mickaël
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanter
authors.affiliation: APHP, Université Paris Sud, Hôpital Antoine Béclère, Service de gynécologie-obstétrique et médecine de la reproduction, 157 Rue de la Porte de Trivaux, 92140 Clamart, France; URDIA EA4465, Université Paris Descartes, 45 rue des Saints Pères, 75006 Paris, France; Université Paris Sud, APHP, Hôpital Antoine Béclère, Service d'imagerie médicale, 157 Rue de la Porte de Trivaux, 92140 Clamart, France.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ami
mesh_terms: D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000502:physiology*; D009215:Myometrium / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Elasticity measurements during labour; Myometrium contraction; Shear wave elastography; Tocodynamometer; Uterine elasticity