Accurate prenatal diagnosis of coarctation of the aorta by 3-step echocardiographic diagnostic protocol

• Published in: BMC pediatrics 2024-08, Vol.24 (1), p.552-10
• Main Authors: Meng, Hong, Luo, Zhi-Ling, Shen, Yan, Liu, Qian-Qian, Li, Mu-Zi, Gao, Yi-Ming
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Analysis; Aorta, Thoracic - diagnostic imaging; Aortic arch; Aortic coarctation; Aortic Coarctation - diagnostic imaging; Blood pressure; Coarctation of the aorta; Coronary vessels; Diagnosis; Echocardiography; Female; Fetal echocardiography; Fetus; Fetuses; Genetic disorders; Gestational Age; Heart; Hospitals; Humans; Intubation; Medical diagnosis; Methods; Pediatric research; Pediatrics; Pregnancy; Pregnant women; Prognosis; Pulmonary arteries; Retrospective Studies; Standard scores; Surgery; TAO-DAO angle; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonics in obstetrics; Ultrasonography, Prenatal; Veins & arteries
• ISSN: 1471-2431; 1471-2431
• DOI: 10.1186/s12887-024-04851-7

Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is the most common undiagnosed congenital heart defect during prenatal screening. High false positive and false negative rates seriously affect prenatal consultation and postnatal management. The objective of the study was to assess the utility of various measurements to predict prenatal CoA and to derive a diagnostic algorithm. One hundred and fifty-four fetuses with suspected CoA who presented at Fuwai Hospital between December 2017 and August 2021 were enrolled and divided into confirmed CoA cases (n = 47) and false positive cases (n = 107), according to their postnatal outcomes. The transverse aortic arch, isthmus, and descending aorta were measured in the long-axis view of the aortic arch. The angle between the transverse aortic arch (TAO) and the descending aortic arch (DAO) was defined as the TAO-DAO angle and measured in the long axis or sagittal view. Based on the database in GE Voluson E10 and the formula (Z = [Formula: see text]), the standard score (Z-score) of the dimensions of the aorta were calculated in relation to the gestational age. The main echocardiographic indices were combined to design a 3-step diagnostic protocol. The TAO-DAO angle was used as the first step in the diagnostic model. The diameter of the transverse arch and the Z-score of the isthmus were the second step. The third-step indices included a Z-score of the transverse arch, diameter of the isthmus, distance from the left subclavian artery (LSA) to left common carotid artery (LCCA), the ratio of isthmus diameter and LSA diameter and ratio of the distances (the distance between the LSA and LCCA to the distance between the right innominate artery and LCCA). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve determined the predictive capability of each diagnostic parameter, and the kappa test determined the diagnostic accuracy of the proposed model. The cases with confirmed CoA had thinner transverse arches (1.92 ± 0.32 mm vs. 3.06 ± 0.67 mm, P = 0.0001), lower Z-scores of the isthmus (-8.97 ± 1.45 vs. -5.65 ± 1.60, P = 0.0001), smaller TAO-DAO angles (105.54 ± 11.51° vs. 125.29 ± 8.97°, P = 0.0001) and larger distance between the LSA and LCCA (4.45 ± 1.75 mm vs. 2.74 ± 1.07 mm, P = 0.0001) than the false positive cases. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.947 (95% CI 0.91-0.98) for the TAO-DAO angle ≤ 115.75°, 0.942 (95% CI 0.91-0.98) for the transverse arch diameter ≤ 2.31 mm, 0.937 (95% CI 0.90-0.98) for the Z-score of the isthmus ≤ -7.5, an