Applications of Advanced Ultrasound Technology in Obstetrics

Abstract

Over the years, there have been several improvements in ultrasound technologies including high-resolution ultrasonography, linear transducer, radiant flow, three-/four-dimensional (3D/4D) ultrasound, speckle tracking of the fetal heart, and artificial intelligence. The aims of this review are to evaluate the use of these advanced technologies in obstetrics in the midst of new guidelines on and new techniques of obstetric ultrasonography. In particular, whether these technologies can improve the diagnostic capability, functional analysis, workflow, and ergonomics of obstetric ultrasound examinations will be discussed.

Pregnant women’s knowledge, attitude, and associated factors toward obstetric ultrasound in public hospitals, Ethiopia, 2021: Multi-centered cross-sectional study

“…The use of ultrasound in obstetrics is critical because it allows us to explore and detect various disorders even in the early stages of pregnancy, improve the quality of antenatal care (ANC) and pregnancy outcomes and treatment of disease in the current era of evidence-based medicine and as the number of pregnancies rises globally, the demand for obstetric ultrasound becomes even more pressing. 3 – 12…”

“…1,2 The use of ultrasound in obstetrics is critical because it allows us to explore and detect various disorders even in the early stages of pregnancy, improve the quality of antenatal care (ANC) and pregnancy outcomes and treatment of disease in the current era of evidence-based medicine and as the number of pregnancies rises globally, the demand for obstetric ultrasound becomes even more pressing. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] World Health Organization (WHO) 2 recommends that all pregnant women have one ultrasound scan before 24 weeks of pregnancy to estimate gestational age (GA), assess placental placement, determine single or multiple pregnancies, increase fetal abnormality detection, and improve pregnancy outcomes in addition to ultrasound scans when indicated. Furthermore it can improve the accuracy and precision of GA measurement, making it easier to treat suspected preterm delivery and post-term pregnancies, particularly in low-income settings.…”

Repeated diagnostic ultrasound exposure modifies the structural properties of CA1 dendrites and alters the hippocampal transcriptome

“…Consequently to the harmless effects of diagnostic US, in many countries, the obligatory US screening is performed several times until birth (on the 12, 18, and 32 weeks). Upon request, a US examination can be done also on the 28th and 38th weeks, as well as a “3D or 4D baby movie” at any time point of the pregnancy, with or without any medical recommendation 19 . To mimic the effect of US examination, we labeled the hippocampal CA1 neurons at 14.5 embryonic days in mice, which corresponds to the events of 11–12th gestational weeks in humans 20 , thus, the applied US exposures may hit the neurons in approximately the same maturation state in both species.…”

Evolving the Era of 5D Ultrasound? A Systematic Literature Review on the Applications for Artificial Intelligence Ultrasound Imaging in Obstetrics and Gynecology

“…The term '5D ultrasound' is derived from the idea to expand the technological US world with a further dimension. While 4D technology extends the 3D view of the scanned object with a time frame, enabling motion visualization, or so-called 'real-time 3D' [9], the term 5D is uncommonly used to describe AI-assisted US imaging including image enhancement processing or automated calculations [10,11]. As there is no clear definition for 5D US, we use the expression of the '5D ultrasound' in this literature review to illustrate the extend of AI models that can create a new dimension in US imaging in OB/GYN by improving work efficacy, accuracy, and visibility in clinical settings.…”