We sought to determine whether cerebral vascular resistance and left ventricular myocardial performance (LVTei) are abnormal in fetuses with Ebstein's anomaly. The pulsatility index of the middle cerebral artery (MCAPI) and umbilical artery (UAPI), LVTei, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and fetal cardiovascular profile score in 11 fetuses with Ebstein's anomaly were evaluated by fetal echocardiography. MCAPI/UAPI values were calculated for the Ebstein's anomaly group. The control group included 44 healthy fetuses of uncomplicated pregnancies matched for gestational age (according to 1:4). MCAPI and MCAPI/UAPI were significantly lower in fetuses with Ebstein's anomaly than in controls (all P < 0.001). UAPI and LVTei were higher in fetuses with Ebstein's anomaly than in control fetuses ( P < 0.001, P < 0.05, respectively). No significant between group difference was observed for LVEF ( P > 0.05). The median cardiovascular profile score (CVPS) for the fetuses with Ebstein's anomaly (median, 7.0; interquartile range [IQR], 5.0 to 8.0) was a full point lower than for controls (median, 10.0; IQR 10.0 to 10.0). This difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.001). MCAPI and LVTei were both correlated with fetal CVPS in fetuses with Ebstein's anomaly (correlation coefficient (1) = 0.477, P < 0.05; correlation coefficient (2) = -0.602, P < 0.05). In fetuses with Ebstein's anomaly in utero, cerebral vascular resistance is decreased; global LV performance, as assessed by the Tei index, is abnormal.

The aim of our study was to investigate the rate of nonalcoholic fatty pancreas disease (NAFPD) in the south China province of Fujian and its relationship to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic parameters.NAFPD is frequently identified on transabdominal ultrasound examination. The incidence of NAFPD varies from 16% to 69.7% depending on the country.A total of 256 subjects were recruited. Each was assessed by abdominal sonography to diagnose NAFLD and NAFPD. The ages, sexes, heights, weights, blood pressure, and detection of peripheral blood biochemical indices (cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL], and glucose) were recorded. The relationships among metabolic parameters and NAFPD or NAFLD were evaluated, and the positive rates of NAFLD and NAFPD in the general population were compared.The age, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), body mass index (BMI), cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, and glucose were significantly associated with NAFPD and NAFLD but the positive rate of NAFPD was significantly higher than that of NAFLD. The BMI, age, and NAFLD were the independent risk factors of NAFPD. The sex distribution, weight, SBP, DBP, BMI, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, glucose, cholesterol, NAFPD, and NAFLD were different significantly between metabolic syndrome and normal subjects.NAFPD and NAFLD can reflect the body metabolism, but NAFPD has a higher detection rate.

Fetal MCA Doppler assessment is affected by increased probe pressure but not by maternal VM. Thus, the application of the MCA Doppler sonography should be undertaken in the head of fetuses without any probe pressure and without maternal VM.

The present study was aimed to compare application of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma (EC) and endometrial hyperplasia (EH). A total of 81 patients with EC and simple EH were selected in this study. Among all patients, 39 cases were diagnosed as EC and 42 cases were diagnosed with EH. All patients were diagnosed by CEUS examination. The diagnosis of EC and EH was also confirmed by endometrial biopsy. CEUS was conducted for all patients. Eendometrial thickness was measured and the mean arrival time, time-to-peak, enhancement time, arrival intensity, peak intensity, enhancement intensity, rising rate, washout half-time and clearance half-time were recorded. Myometrial invasion was categorized into 2 stages <50% and >50%. No significant difference was observed in clinical basis between the two groups. Endometrial thickness of EC was significantly higher than that of EH, P<0.05. Results of CEUS parameters showed that in EC patients, all values of arrival time, time-to-peak, washout half-time and clearance half-time were all shorter in EC group compared with those in EH patients, P<0.05. And values of peak intensity, enhancement intensity, and rising rate were also lower in EC patients than those in EH patients, P<0.05. Diagnostic accuracy of CEUS in myometrial invasion for EC was shown showed that 26 of 30 cases were diagnosed as myometrial invasion <50% by CEUS and 7 of 9 cases were diagnosed as myometrial invasion >50%. The total diagnostic accuracy of CEUS is 82.62% (33/39). We conducted a comparison study to analyze different diagnostic effects of CEUS for EC and EH. The study may give more clinical basic data in the field of CEUS application in diagnosis of EC and can give a reference to the difference between EC and EH.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to assess the morphological characteristics and to establish ultrasonographic standards of normal neonatal insula size using transfontanellar ultrasonography, and to evaluate the clinical value of this technique. Materials and Methods: The authors performed transfontanellar ultrasonography in 481 single-birth cases at 28-43 weeks' gestation. Ultrasonographic examinations were performed in the parasagittal plane at the level of the insula through the anterior fontanelle, measuring area, and perimeter of the insula. Regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between insula size and gestational age (GA), and 60 cases were randomly selected for assessment of intra-observer and inter-observer reliability of ultrasonographic measurements. The authors obtained standard values of normal insula size and used them to assess and follow-up 40 cases with suspected insular malformations. Additionally, 30 late-onset neonates who were determined as small for gestational age (SGA) and 45 normally growing neonates were examined and tested using the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS). Results: The neonatal insula appeared as an inverted triangle, with the insular gyri extending radially in an anterior-inferior to posterior-superior direction. The area and perimeter of the normal neonatal insula significantly increased with GA (p < 0.01 for both), and these measurements were highly reliable. This assessment of cases with suspected insular malformation showed that five out of 40 cases presented abnormalities. Late-onset SGA neonates presented a significantly smaller area and perimeter in the insula compared to controls. In addition, the measured values of the insula significantly correlated with NBAS scores. Conclusion: Evaluation of the neonatal insula using transfontanellar ultrasonography can be performed and is clinically useful.