title: [Correlation analysis of fetal middle cerebral artery peak systolic velocity, cardiothoracic ratio and crown-rump length in early pregnancy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the pattern of variations in middle cerebral artery peak systolic velocity (MCA PSV) and cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) during early pregnancy, establish their reference ranges and explore their correlation with the crown-rump length (CRL).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 522 pregnant women with normal findings in antenatal examinations underwent routine color Doppler ultrasound examination to collect the data of MCA PSV, CTR and CRL. The reference ranges of MCA PSV and CTR for different CRL levels were established, and the correlation of MCA PSV and CTR with CRL was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the first trimester, MCA PSV and CRL showed a moderate positive correlation with a correlation coefficient of 0.426 (P<0.001), while CTR and CRL showed no significant correlation (0.168, P<0.001). The reference range of MCA PSV was 14.35 (14.08-14.62) cm/s and that of CTR was 0.34 (0.33-0.34) during early pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Color Doppler ultrasound is a safe and feasible modality to assess fetal MCA PSV and CTR for detecting fetal growth abnormalities in early pregnancy. The established reference ranges of MCA PSV and CTR offer a clinical theoretical basis for detecting α-thalassemia in early pregnancy.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. E-mail: dengxujie@126.com.
authors: Xu-Jie
authors: XJ
authors: Deng
authors: Cui-Hua
authors: CH
authors: Chen
authors: Yu-Wen
authors: YW
authors: Qiu
authors: Shu-Fang
authors: SF
authors: Xiao
authors: Shu-Xin
authors: SX
authors: Liao
authors: Mei
authors: M
authors: Zhong
authors: Fang
authors: F
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D018568:Crown-Rump Length; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D012016:Reference Values; D013599:Systole; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal