Satisfactory Rate of Postprocessing Visualization of Standard Fetal Cardiac Views From 4‐Dimensional Cardiac Volumes Acquired During Routine Ultrasound Practice by Experienced Sonographers in Peripheral Centers

• Published in: Journal of ultrasound in medicine 2011-01, Vol.30 (1), p.93-99
• Main Authors: Rizzo, Giuseppe, Capponi, Alessandra, Pietrolucci, Maria Elena, Capece, Giuseppe, Cimmino, Ernesto, Colosi, Enrico, Ferrentino, Salvatore, Sica, Carmine, Di Meglio, Aniello, Arduini, Domenico
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 4-dimensional sonography; Body Mass Index; Cardiac Volume; congenital heart defects; Echocardiography, Four-Dimensional - methods; Feasibility Studies; Female; fetal echocardiography; Fetal Heart - diagnostic imaging; Fetal Heart - embryology; Heart Defects, Congenital - diagnostic imaging; Heart Defects, Congenital - embryology; Humans; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Observer Variation; Pregnancy; prenatal diagnosis; Prospective Studies; spatiotemporal image correlation; Ultrasonography, Prenatal - methods
• ISSN: 0278-4297; 1550-9613
• DOI: 10.7863/jum.2011.30.1.93

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of visualizing standard cardiac views from 4‐dimensional (4D) cardiac volumes obtained at ultrasound facilities with no specific experience in fetal echocardiography. Five sonographers prospectively recorded 4D cardiac volumes starting from the 4‐chamber view on 500 consecutive pregnancies at 19 to 24 weeks' gestation undergoing routine ultrasound examinations (100 pregnancies for each sonographer). Volumes were sent to the referral center, and 2 independent reviewers with experience in 4D fetal echocardiography assessed their quality in the display of the abdominal view, 4‐chamber view, left and right ventricular outflow tracts, and 3‐vessel and trachea view. Cardiac volumes were acquired in 474 of 500 pregnancies (94.8%). The 2 reviewers respectively acknowledged the presence of satisfactory images in 92.4% and 93.6% of abdominal views, 91.5% and 93.0% of 4‐chamber views, in 85.0% and 86.2% of left ventricular outflow tracts, 83.9% and 84.5% of right ventricular outflow tracts, and 85.2% and 84.5% of 3‐vessel and trachea views. The presence of a maternal body mass index of greater than 30 altered the probability of achieving satisfactory cardiac views, whereas previous maternal lower abdominal surgery did not affect the quality of reconstructed cardiac views. In conclusion, cardiac volumes acquired by 4D sonography in peripheral centers showed high enough quality to allow satisfactory diagnostic cardiac views.