Preliminary study on fetal heart morphology and function in pulmonary stenosis and pulmonary atresia using fetal heart quantification
10.3760/cma.j.cn131148-20240131-00076
- VernacularTitle:胎儿心脏定量分析技术对肺动脉狭窄及肺动脉闭锁胎儿心脏形态及功能的初步研究
- Author:
Xiaomin ZHANG
1
;
Bowen ZHAO
;
Mei PAN
;
Xiaohui PENG
;
Ran CHEN
;
Yankai MAO
;
Mingming MA
;
Yuanshi TIAN
;
Mingxuan ZHANG
;
Yan DENG
Author Information
1. 浙江大学医学院附属邵逸夫医院超声科 浙江省胎儿心脏超声诊断技术指导中心 浙江大学邵逸夫临床医学研究所，杭州 310016
- Keywords:
Echocardiography;
Fetal HQ;
Pulmonary stenosis;
Pulmonary atresia;
Sphericity index
- From:
Chinese Journal of Ultrasonography
2024;33(6):489-496
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To evaluate the morphological characteristics of the fetal heart and the contractile function of the left and right ventricles in fetuses with pulmonary stenosis (PS) and pulmonary atresia (PA) using fetal heart quantitative analysis technology (fetal HQ), and to assess the impact of different degrees of right ventricular outflow tract obstruction (RVOTO) on the contractile function of the fetal left and right ventricles. To accumulate early data and explore parameters for constructing a predictive model and clinical decision-making tool for the progression of fetal PS and PA.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 42 cases of mild to moderate PS and 23 cases of severe PS or PA detected through fetal echocardiography in the Department of Ultrasound, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, from July 2020 to December 2021. A control group of 195 normal fetal cases matching gestational weeks was selected. The fetal HQ technique was employed to measure the global sphericity index (GSI), left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), left/right ventricular area change percentage (LVFAC, RVFAC), and left/right ventricular longitudinal strain (LVGLS, RVGLS). Additionally, 24-segment sphericity index (SI) and fractional shortening (FS) for both left and right ventricles were measured. Comparative analyses were performed between the case and control groups, as well as within the case group.Results:In comparison with the control group, the case group exhibited significantly decreased GSI, LVGLS, LVEF, LVFAC, RVGLS, and RVFAC.The differences were statistically significant in the mild to moderate PS group (all P<0.05) and highly significant in the severe PS/PA group (all P<0.01). In the mild to moderate PS group, the left ventricle′s 2nd segment, right ventricle′s 24th segment SI, and the left ventricle′s 1st-13th segments, right ventricle′s 1st-16th and 20th-24th segments FS showed statistically significant differences compared to the control group (all P<0.05). In the severe PS/PA group, the right ventricle′s 1st-22nd segment SI, and the left ventricle′s 6th-13th, 21st-24th segments, and the right ventricle′s 1st-14th segments FS were reduced, showing statistically significant differences compared to the control group (all P<0.05). The severe PS/PA group showed lower RVGLS, RVFAC, and SI for the right ventricle′s 1st to 17th segments when compared to the mild to moderate PS group, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Quantitative indices derived by fetal HQ is capable of evaluating the cardiac morphology and function of fetuses with PS/PA, which may provide for reference information for comprehensive understanding of cardiac morphological and functional changes in such fetuses.
