Umbilical vein vasomotion detected in vivo by serial three-dimensional pixelwise spatially angle-corrected volume flow measurements.
OBJECTIVE
To explore changes in volume flow in the umbilical vein in healthy second-trimester fetuses.


METHODS
This was a prospective observational pilot study performed at Stavanger University Hospital, Norway, between May and October 2013. Serial three-dimensional ultrasound recordings from the umbilical vein were acquired every 30 s in a 5-min period in 43 fetuses at 17-20 weeks' gestation. The recordings were analyzed with pixelwise spatially angle-corrected volume flow measurements.


RESULTS
We observed variation in the umbilical vein volume flow in all fetuses, ranging from a mean minimum of 1.01 mL/s to a mean maximum of 2.60 mL/s. The minimum of all measurements was 57% compared with the mean value and the maximum was 148% of the mean value. The individual flow volume measurements ranged between 0.11 and 4.14 mL/s (mean, 1.76 mL/s). Within this range, an undulating course of all perfusion parameters was observed, with a full period of 4-5 min duration.


CONCLUSIONS
Healthy second-trimester fetuses show cyclical variation in blood flow in the umbilical vein. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Leipzig Ultrasound Institute, Leipzig, Germany.
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Scholbach
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
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C
Heien
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.|National Center for Fetal Medicine, Trondheim University Hospital (St Olavs Hospital), Trondheim, Norway.
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Eggebø
D000328:Adult; D001810:Blood Volume; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
3D-fetal perfusion measurement; PixelFlux; umbilical vein; vasomotion