title: Reference ranges of fetal adrenal gland and fetal zone volumes between 24 and 37 + 6 weeks of gestation by three-dimensional ultrasound.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish reference ranges of the fetal adrenal gland (AG) and fetal zone (FZ) volumes using three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS).
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a prospective cross-sectional study with 204 normal singleton pregnancies between 24 and 37 + 6 weeks of gestation. The fetal AG and FZ volumes were obtained using the virtual organ computer-aided analysis method with a 30° rotation. To establish reference ranges as the function of gestational age (GA), quantile regression was performed with the adjusted coefficient of determination (R2). Intra- and inter-observer repeatability was performed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean results of fetal AG and FZ values were 0.42 cm3(0.04-1.22) and 0.10 cm3(0.02-0.47), respectively. The best-fit quantile regression models for fetal AG and FZ volumes as the function of GA were in first-degree models: AG = -0.937 + 0.041 × GA (R2=0.124) and FZ = -0.201 + 0.009 × GA (R2=0.127), respectively. We observed good intra-observer repeatability of fetal AG and FZ volumes, with an ICC of 0.996 and 0.989, respectively. We also observed good inter-observer repeatability, with an ICC of 0.972 and 0.966 for AG and FZ, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reference ranges of AG and FZ volumes using 3DUS between 24 and 37 + 6 weeks of gestation were established and exhibited good repeatability.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics , Paulista School of Medicine - Federal University of São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP) , São Paulo, SP , Brazil and.
authors.forename: Talita Micheletti
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Helfer
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics , Paulista School of Medicine - Federal University of São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP) , São Paulo, SP , Brazil and.
authors.forename: Liliam Cristine
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Rolo
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics , Paulista School of Medicine - Federal University of São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP) , São Paulo, SP , Brazil and.
authors.forename: Nayana Alves de Brito Melo
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Okasaki
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics , Paulista School of Medicine - Federal University of São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP) , São Paulo, SP , Brazil and.
authors.forename: Amarilis Aparecida
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: de Castro Maldonado
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics , Paulista School of Medicine - Federal University of São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP) , São Paulo, SP , Brazil and.
authors.forename: Ana Carolina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Rabachini Caetano
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics , Paulista School of Medicine - Federal University of São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP) , São Paulo, SP , Brazil and.
authors.forename: Ana Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Perez Zamarian
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics , Paulista School of Medicine - Federal University of São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP) , São Paulo, SP , Brazil and.
authors.forename: Tatiana Emy Nishimoto Kawanami
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Hamamoto
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Mathematics and Statistics, University of São Paulo (USP) , São Paulo, SP , Brazil.
authors.forename: Vinicius Fernando
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Calsavara
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics , Paulista School of Medicine - Federal University of São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP) , São Paulo, SP , Brazil and.
authors.forename: Antonio Fernandes
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Moron
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics , Paulista School of Medicine - Federal University of São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP) , São Paulo, SP , Brazil and.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Araujo Júnior
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics , Paulista School of Medicine - Federal University of São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP) , São Paulo, SP , Brazil and.
authors.forename: Luciano Marcondes Machado
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Nardozza
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D005333:Fetus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D009929:Organ Size; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Fetal adrenal gland; organ volume; three-dimensional ultrasound