Objective: Studying the correlation of different lung parameters, using three dimensional ultrasound (3D US) with fetal lung maturity (FLM) to predict the development of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Methods: Three dimensional ultrasound was done to record the fetal lung volume (FLV), Fetal lung to liver intensity ratio (FLLIR) & the main pulmonary artery (MPA) blood flow parameters; pulsatility index (PI), resistive index (RI) and acceleration time -to- ejection time ratio (At/Et), to 218 women between 32 to 40 weeks gestational age within 24 h from labor. Results: Of 218 fetuses examined, final analysis was done for 143 fetuses. Thirty eight (26.5%) were diagnosed with RDS. The MPA PI and RI were significantly higher in fetuses diagnosed with RDS compared with those without (2.51 ± 0.33 and 0.90 ± 0.03 cm/s versus 1.96 ± 0.20 and 0.84 ± 0.01 cm/s; p value < 0.001 and <0.001 respectively). MPA At/Et was significantly lower (0.24 ± 0.04 vs 0.35 ± 0.04; p value < 0.001). FLLIR was significantly lower (1.04 ± 0.07 vs 1.18 ± 0.11; p value < 0.001), and the mean FLV which was significantly smaller (28.23 ± 5.63, vs 38.87 ± 4.68 cm3; p value < 0.001). Conclusion: Main pulmonary artery (PI, RI, At/Et ratio), FLIIR, and mean FLV can be used as reliable predictors of neonatal RDS. Advances in knowledge: 3D ultrasound VOCAL technique, ultrasound tissue histogram and pulmonary artery Doppler are reliable tools for prenatal prediction of fetal lung maturity.

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