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Cardiology Ultrasound approach detects fetal cardiac problems
Cardiology Ultrasound approach detects fetal cardiac problems
Ultrasound approach detects fetal cardiac problems
Monday, 29 November 1999 19:00 | 
| Specialties - Cardiology |
Diameter pulse waveforms (DPWs) recorded noninvasively from the fetal inferior vena cava (IVC) can evaluate cardiac function, according to Japanese researchers.
Diameter pulse waveforms (DPWs) recorded noninvasively from the fetal inferior vena cava (IVC) can evaluate cardiac function, according to Japanese researchers.
"DPW may be used in assessment of pressure at the arterial side or venous side," lead investigator Dr. Akira Mori told Reuters Health.
Specifically, Dr. Mori and colleagues at Tokai University School of Medicine, Ishara City, note that DPWs obtained via paired phase locked echo tracking, reflect the pressure waveforms at the target vessel.
In the October issue of the American Heart Journal, the researchers observe that they used this approach to obtain in utero ultrasonic recording of DPWs from the IVC of 90 healthy fetuses at 20 to 40 weeks of gestation.
Recordings were also made of 21 fetuses with arrhythmias or cardiac structure abnormalities.
Employing data from the healthy group, the team examined the DPW wave parameters, namely A, X, V and Y.
The researchers further evaluated the suspected cardiac abnormality group via fractional shortening and preload index values. In all, 11 showed cardiac dysfunction.
The cardiac dysfunction group had a shallow DPW. There was a low X amplitude pattern and the X nadir was not well developed. This, say the investigators "is consistent with impaired contractility and reduced ventricular output."
In a number, the interval from the V peak to the A peak was higher than that from the A peak to the V peak, in contrast to findings in the normal group. In particular, all four fetuses with a relatively shortened A-X-V (systolic) time as a percentage of the cardiac cycle did not survive.
"In fetuses with intrauterine cardiac dysfunction, measurement of the X nadir could be useful in detecting fetuses with altered cardiac function," write the investigators.
Although more study is needed, they conclude that "assessment of fetal cardiac function using the DPW may be applicable to a variety of conditions, including...cardiac abnormalities.
"DPW may be used in assessment of pressure at the arterial side or venous side," lead investigator Dr. Akira Mori told Reuters Health.
Specifically, Dr. Mori and colleagues at Tokai University School of Medicine, Ishara City, note that DPWs obtained via paired phase locked echo tracking, reflect the pressure waveforms at the target vessel.
In the October issue of the American Heart Journal, the researchers observe that they used this approach to obtain in utero ultrasonic recording of DPWs from the IVC of 90 healthy fetuses at 20 to 40 weeks of gestation.
Recordings were also made of 21 fetuses with arrhythmias or cardiac structure abnormalities.
Employing data from the healthy group, the team examined the DPW wave parameters, namely A, X, V and Y.
The researchers further evaluated the suspected cardiac abnormality group via fractional shortening and preload index values. In all, 11 showed cardiac dysfunction.
The cardiac dysfunction group had a shallow DPW. There was a low X amplitude pattern and the X nadir was not well developed. This, say the investigators "is consistent with impaired contractility and reduced ventricular output."
In a number, the interval from the V peak to the A peak was higher than that from the A peak to the V peak, in contrast to findings in the normal group. In particular, all four fetuses with a relatively shortened A-X-V (systolic) time as a percentage of the cardiac cycle did not survive.
"In fetuses with intrauterine cardiac dysfunction, measurement of the X nadir could be useful in detecting fetuses with altered cardiac function," write the investigators.
Although more study is needed, they conclude that "assessment of fetal cardiac function using the DPW may be applicable to a variety of conditions, including...cardiac abnormalities.
