title: Screening performances of abnormal first-trimester ductus venosus blood flow and increased nuchal translucency thickness in detection of major heart defects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the screening performances of abnormal ductus venosus (DV) blood flow for the detection of heart defects in chromosomally normal fetuses with increased nuchal translucency (NT) thickness at 11-13 + 6 weeks' gestational in a population of singleton pregnancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  During an 8-year period, all singleton pregnancies from 11 + 0 to 13 + 6 weeks were scanned for NT and DV blood flow assessment. Two groups of cases with abnormal NT were evaluated: NT ≥ 95th and NT ≥ 99th centile. DV waveforms were considered to be abnormal if the a-wave was reversed or absent (R/A).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Addition of DV R/A a-wave to either NT ≥ 95th or NT ≥ 99th percentile increased specificity (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively), but not screening performances in detection of major heart defects (p = 0.73 and p = 0.91, respectively). Combination of DV R/A a-wave with NT ≥ 95th or NT ≥ 99th centile correlated with right heart defects (p = 0.024 and p = 0.013, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In chromosomally normal fetuses, addition of abnormal DV a-wave to increased NT does not improve screening performances of NT in detection of major hearts defects in first trimester. However, there is correlation of such parameter with right heart defects and AV septal defects.
authors.affiliation: High-risk Pregnancy Unit, Obsterics/Gynecolgy Clinic 'Narodni font', School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Natasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karadzov-Orlic
authors.affiliation: High-risk Pregnancy Unit, Obsterics/Gynecolgy Clinic 'Narodni font', School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Amira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Egic
authors.affiliation: High-risk Pregnancy Unit, Obsterics/Gynecolgy Clinic 'Narodni font', School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Dejan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Filimonovic
authors.affiliation: High-risk Pregnancy Unit, Obsterics/Gynecolgy Clinic 'Narodni font', School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Damnjanovic-Pazin
authors.affiliation: High-risk Pregnancy Unit, Obsterics/Gynecolgy Clinic 'Narodni font', School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Zagorka
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Milovanovic
authors.affiliation: High-risk Pregnancy Unit, Obsterics/Gynecolgy Clinic 'Narodni font', School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Relja
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lukic
authors.affiliation: High-risk Pregnancy Unit, Obsterics/Gynecolgy Clinic 'Narodni font', School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mandic
authors.affiliation: Genetic Laboratory, Obsterics/Gynecolgy Clinic 'Narodni font', University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Joksic
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Institute for Mother and Child Healthcare 'Dr Vukan Čupić', School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vukomanovic
authors.affiliation: Genetic Laboratory, Obsterics/Gynecolgy Clinic 'Narodni font', University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Jovan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kosutic
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Institute for Mother and Child Healthcare 'Dr Vukan Čupić', University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Slavisa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Djuricic
authors.affiliation: High-risk Pregnancy Unit, Obsterics/Gynecolgy Clinic 'Narodni font', School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Zeljko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mikovic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D048208:Nuchal Translucency Measurement; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011446:Prospective Studies