Ultrasound "triangular method" for evaluation of morphological characteristics of the aortic arch in normal mid-to-late trimester fetuses
10.3760/cma.j.cn131148-20241219-00666
- VernacularTitle:超声“三角形法”评估正常中晚孕期胎儿主动脉弓形态特征
- Author:
Pan YANG
1
;
Yuanchen LUO
;
Shi ZENG
;
Ganqiong XU
;
Yushan LIU
;
Yang YANG
;
Minzhi OUYANG
Author Information
1. 中南大学湘雅二医院超声诊断科 中南大学湘雅二医院超声医学研究中心 湖南省超声诊断和治疗临床研究中心，长沙 410011
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Echocardiography;
Fetus;
Aortic arch;
Morphology;
Triangle method
- From:
Chinese Journal of Ultrasonography
2025;34(5):391-396
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the feasibility of the ultrasound "triangular method" in evaluating the morphology of the aortic arch in normal mid-to-late trimester fetuses，establish the gestational age-specific reference ranges for its morphological parameters，and to analyze their correlations with gestational age（GA）and cardiac valve annulus diameters.Methods:A prospective study was conducted on 317 normal singleton fetuses at 20-38 +6 weeks of gestation from the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. Morphological parameters including arch length（a+b），arch width（w），arch height（h）and arch angle（θ）were measured using the "triangular method" in the aortic arch long-axis view. Arch tortuosity（a+b/w）and height-to-width ratio（h/w）were calculated. Linear regression was used to analyze correlations between arch length，width，height and GA，the reference intervals were established. Pearson correlation was applied to assess relationships between angle，tortuosity，height-to-width ratio and GA，cardiac valve annulus diameters（aortic，pulmonary，mitral，tricuspid）. Results:Aortic arch length，width and height showed strong positive correlations with GA（ r = 0.88，0.88，0.85；all P < 0.001）. The arch angle，tortuosity，and height-to-width ratio were independent of GA（all P > 0.05），with reference values of（69.2 ± 6.1）°，1.7 ± 0.1，and 0.7 ± 0.1，respectively. These parameters also showed no significant correlations with cardiac valve annulus diameters（all P > 0.05）. Conclusions:The ultrasound "triangular method" systematically quantifies fetal aortic arch morphology. The stability of arch angle，tortuosity and height-to-width ratio during mid-to-late gestation may provide a morphological benchmark for prenatal screening of aortic arch anomalies.
