Comparison of fetal and maternal tissue elasticity between euploid and aneuploid pregnancies by shear wave elastography

Abstract

Aim B‐mode ultrasonography utilized for fetal screening of common trisomies is referred to as a genetic sonogram and includes determining major abnormalities and soft markers such as hypoplastic nasal bone and increased thickness of the nuchal fold. Elastography is a novel ultrasound technique giving information about tissue stiffness used for diagnosing cancer, transplant rejection, and organ fibrosis. This study aimed to determine via shear wave elastography (SWE) whether euploid and aneuploid fetal soft marker tissues vary in stiffness. Methods The participants were all singleton pregnancies between 19 and 23 weeks of gestation; 35 euploid and 14 aneuploid fetus pregnancies were enrolled. Fetal bowel, kidney, liver, nasal bone, nuchal fold, placenta, and myometrium were investigated with SWE using acoustic radiation impulse force. Images were analyzed with a novel software calibrated and written by us using MATLAB. Statistical analysis was completed with the SPSS Program. Shapiro–Wilk normality distribution analysis, Student's t‐test, and Mann–Whitney U methods were used. Results The mean shear wave speed of fetal nasal bone was significantly lower in aneuploid fetuses. There was no difference between other tissues in mean shear wave velocity. Conclusions Euploid and aneuploid fetuses have different elastic properties of the nasal bone and this may have a role in differentiating aneuploid fetuses noninvasively.