title: Ultrasonographic approach to diagnosis of fetal inflammatory response syndrome: a tool for at-risk fetuses?
abstract: Preterm parturition is a syndrome that may result from many underlying mechanisms. Infection and inflammation are the prominent ones. Intrauterine infection and inflammation have an effect akin to sepsis, and that is similar to systemic inflammatory response in adults. Indeed, there is evidence to support the association of a fetal inflammatory response syndrome (FIRS) to systemic infection and inflammation. The utilization of invasive procedures for the prenatal diagnosis of FIRS is associated with a risk for complications resulting from the invasive method. The progress in the imaging quality of obstetrical ultrasound and the development of novel methods for functional anatomical assessment of the fetal organs may help to identify, noninvasively, fetuses at risk for FIRS in patients presenting with preterm labor. We review the studies describing advanced sonographic modalities and the imaging findings in the heart, thymus, kidney, adrenal glands, and spleen of these fetuses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico di Bari, School of Medicine, University of Bari "Aldo Moro," Bari, Italy; US Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel. Electronic address: mastroliasa@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Salvatore Andrea
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Mastrolia
authors.affiliation: Maternity Department D and Obstetrical Day Care Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, School of Medicine, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Offer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Erez
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico di Bari, School of Medicine, University of Bari "Aldo Moro," Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Loverro
authors.affiliation: US Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico di Bari, School of Medicine, University of Bari "Aldo Moro," Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Di Naro
authors.affiliation: US Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Adi Yehuda
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Weintraub
authors.affiliation: US Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tirosh
authors.affiliation: US Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baron
authors.affiliation: US Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Reli
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hershkovitz
mesh_terms: D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Tei index; fetal adrenal gland; fetal thymus; preterm labor; splenic vein flow