Key result
Fetal heart geometry evaluated by 3D ultrasound and STIC rendering showed little variation across gestational age, with determination coefficients (R2) of 0.01 or less for all measured angles.
Why the study?
Does 3D ultrasound with STIC rendering mode detect significant variations in fetal heart geometry during pregnancy in normal singleton pregnancies?
Cross-Sectional (n=250)
Does 3D ultrasound with STIC rendering mode detect significant variations in fetal heart geometry during pregnancy in normal singleton pregnancies?
Effect estimate: R2 ≤0.01
Fetal heart geometry assessed by 3D ultrasound with STIC rendering mode remains relatively constant between 20 and 33 weeks of gestation.
May support fixed normative angles on fetal 3D STIC; hypothesis-generating, needs prospective validation.
Objective To determine fetal heart geometry during pregnancy using three‐dimensional (3D) ultrasound and the spatiotemporal image correlation ( STIC ) rendering mode. Methods This prospective, cross‐sectional study evaluated 250 normal singleton pregnancies from 20 to 33 weeks and 6 days of gestation. STIC rendering was used to calculate the eight angles of the fetal heart: apex, base, mitral valve, tricuspid valve, left ventricle, right ventricle, left atrium, and right atrium angles. The concordance correlation coefficient ( CCC ) was used for intra‐ and inter‐observer tests. Results The average ± SD maternal age was 31.7 ± 4.9 years, and the average gestational age was 26.3 ± 4.2 weeks. There was little variation in fetal heart angles using STIC rendering according to the gestational age, with determination coefficient ( R 2 ) values of 0.01 for the apex and mitral valve angles and <0.01 for the base, tricuspid valve, left ventricle, right ventricle, left atrium, and right atrium angles. Moderate/good intra‐ and inter‐observer concordance was observed for the measurement of fetal heart angles using STIC rendering, and the obtained CCC varied from 0.74 to 0.93. Conclusion The fetal heart geometry did not present significant variations during pregnancy using 3D ultrasound and the STIC rendering mode.
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Bezerra et al. (2018) conducted a cross-sectional in Normal singleton pregnancies (n=250). Three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound with STIC rendering mode was evaluated on Fetal heart angles (apex, base, mitral valve, tricuspid valve, left ventricle, right ventricle, left atrium, right atrium) (R2 ≤0.01). Fetal heart geometry evaluated by 3D ultrasound and STIC rendering showed little variation across gestational age, with determination coefficients (R2) of 0.01 or less for all measured angles.
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