Fetal heart quantification technology for assessing normal fetal cardiac morphology and function: a prospective cohort study
10.3760/cma.j.cn113903-20240803-00544
- VernacularTitle:胎儿心脏定量技术评估正常胎儿心脏形态与功能：一项前瞻性队列研究
- Author:
Qiuyi DI
1
;
Xiangdang LONG
;
Jing NING
;
Sui YAO
;
Qiaorong LI
;
Yu ZHUO
;
Xuan CHEN
;
Longfei SHI
Author Information
1. 湖南省人民医院（湖南师范大学附属第一医院）超声科，长沙 410000
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Fetal heart quantification;
Echocardiography;
Fetal;
Heart morphology;
Heart function
- From:
Chinese Journal of Perinatal Medicine
2025;28(3):211-218
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To explore the value of fetal heart quantification technology in assessing the morphology and function of the fetal heart during normal pregnancy.Methods:This prospective cohort study selected normal fetuses from healthy pregnant women who underwent prenatal ultrasound examinations at Hunan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2023 to October 2024. Using the GE Voluson E10 color Doppler diasonography, routine obstetric ultrasound and fetal echocardiography were performed to assess fetal growth and development and to exclude intracardiac and extracardiac malformations. Clear four-chamber view (4CV) dynamic images of the heart showing the endocardium (duration ≥3 s) were collected. Speckle-tracking analysis was performed using fetal heart quantification software. The measured indicators included the global spherical index (GSI), end-diastolic length of the heart (L-ED), end-diastolic width of the heart (W-ED), and the global longitudinal strain (GLS), fractional area change (FAC), and 24-segment spherical index (SI) of the left ventricle (LV) and right ventricle (RV). The cases were divided into five groups based on gestational age at the time of prenatal ultrasound: 20 +0 to 23 +6, 24 +0 to 27 +6, 28 +0 to 31 +6, 32 +0 to 35 +6, and 36 +0 to 40 +6 weeks. One-way analysis of variance, two independent samples t-test, univariate linear regression analysis, and Pearson correlation analysis were used to explore the differences in the above indicators among different gestational age groups and their correlation with gestational age. Results:A total of 200 pregnant women were included in the cohort, four cases were excluded due to poor image quality that prevented accurate tracking and measurement of relevant indicators. Ultimately, 196 cases (20 +0 to 23 +6 weeks 40 cases, 24 +0 to 27 +6 weeks 34 cases, 28 +0 to 31 +6 weeks 41 cases, 32 +0 to 35 +6 weeks 48 cases, and 36 +0 to 40 +6 weeks 33 cases) were included in the study, with a successful image analysis rate of 98.0%. (1) There were statistically significant differences in 4CV L-ED, 4CV W-ED, LV-FAC, and RV-FAC among the groups at 20 +0 to 23 +6, 24 +0 to 27 +6, 28 +0 to 31 +6, 32 +0 to 35 +6, and 36 +0 to 40 +6 weeks [4CV L-ED: 28.0±3.0, 32.6±4.3, 40.9±4.3, 46.7±4.8, 53.1±5.8, F=3.72; 4CV W-ED: 21.9±1.8, 25.1±4.2, 31.7±3.0, 37.4±4.0, 42.0±4.9, F=2.61; LV-FAC: (51.4±8.0)%, (49.0±10.4)%, (47.3±7.3)%, (43.1±7.5)%, (40.7±8.2)%, F=2.94; RV-FAC: (49.9±10.8)%, (46.2±12.0)%, (46.3±8.3)%, (43.2±8.0)%, (41.9±5.6)%, F=3.09; all P<0.05].(2) The size of the normal fetal heart gradually increased with gestational age, while the heart morphology remained relatively stable (4CV L-ED and 4CV W-ED were positively correlated with gestational age, with regression coefficients of 1.313 and 1.325, respectively, both P<0.001;LV-FAC and RV-FAC were negatively correlated with gestational age with regression coefficients of -0.783 and -0.552, respectively, both P<0.001; GSI, LV-GLS and RV-GLS had no correlations with gestational age, all P>0.05). (3) The SI of LV segments 1 to 17 were higher than the SI of the corresponding RV segments, and the SI of RV segments 20-24 were higher than that of the corresponding LV segments (all P<0.001). Conclusion:Fetal heart quantification technology has a certain value in the assessment of fetal cardiac morphology and function.
