Serial fetal lung volume measurement using three‐dimensional ultrasound

Abstract

Our computerized system has the capacity to be used in conjunction with any standard two-dimensional ultrasound scanner in order to measure volume. Lung volume measurement may be useful in predicting pulmonary hypoplasia.

Can Three-Dimensional Ultrasound Be Used for the Assessment of the Fetal Lung Volume in Cases of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia?

“…One of the limitations of the approach reported by these authors [11,12] relates to the fact that the upper and the lower anatomical limits of the volume calculation were set at the level of the fetal clavicles and at the dome of the diaphragm, respectively. We think a small part of the lung volume may be located outside these limits.…”

“…In more recent studies [11,12], the fetal pulmonary volume was measured directly based on outlining the contour of parallel slices of each lung using a cursor or a mouse. These studies provided normal pulmonary volumes calculated either from longitudinal or from transversal sectional analyses.…”

“…Studies using magnetic resonance imaging as a potential tool for prognostic evaluation of fetuses with a diaphragmatic hernia led to conflicting results [7,8]. Three-dimensional ultrasound has been used to establish normal values of the fetal lung volume, but so far it has not been used in the evaluation of a CDH [9][10][11][12]. We report 2 cases of CDH (1 right CDH and 1 left CDH) in whom the fetal lung volumes were estimated by threedimensional ultrasound before termination of the pregnancy and the results compared with the measurements obtained at autopsy.…”

Évaluation du poumon fœtal en imagerie

“…Avec le développement des sondes échographiques volumé-triques et des logiciels de post-traitement adaptés, une équipe anglaise a mis au point une méthode apparemment reproductible de mesure du volume pulmonaire foetal en échographie tridimensionnelle [52], améliorée très récemment par des sondes à balayage automatique [53]. Cependant, les effectifs étudiées sont encore réduits, le matériel nécessaire très spécifique et la variabilité interobservateur trop élevée.…”

Avaliação do volume pulmonar pela ultra-sonografia em três dimensões em fetos com hérnia diafragmática congênita isolada

“…A ultra-sonografia em três dimensões (US-3D) também poderia ser utilizada com esse intuito, apresentando a vantagem de ser menos custosa. Porém, apesar de existirem algumas curvas de volume pulmonar de fetos normais pela idade gestacional [31][32][33][34][35] 44 .…”