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Feasibility assessment for successfully visualizing the fetal heart utilizing spatiotemporal image correlation

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Abstract

Purpose

Spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) is an excellent imaging modality for observing the fetal heart. High-quality STIC volume data are needed for an antenatal anatomic survey to diagnose congenital heart disease. We aimed to clarify the causes of unsuccessful STIC volume data acquisition and describe a more accurate, efficient STIC examination.

Methods

This cross-sectional study of 1124 women with fetuses assessed risk factors for unsuccessful acquisition of STIC volume data. Logistic regression analysis quantified the relation between unsuccessful acquisition and clinical variables, including maternal body mass index (BMI), shadowing artifacts due to unexpected fetal limb movement (SAU), estimated fetal weight (EFW), gestational age (GA), use of volume rendering images in four-dimensional ultrasonography (4D-US), fetal heart rate (FHR), maternal age, anterior placenta, and prior lower abdominal surgery.

Results

STIC volume data acquisition was unsuccessful in 210 of 1124 (18.6%) cases. SAU, BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2, not using volume rendering images in 4D-US, EFW ≥ 1300 g, and anterior placenta were independent risk factors for unsuccessful STIC data acquisition.

Conclusions

Avoiding SAU was the most important factor for accurate, efficient STIC evaluations for diagnosing congenital heart disease antenatally. The risk was not explained by lack of sonographer proficiency. Volume rendering images in 4D-US is a promising approach to successful acquisition of STIC volume data.

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Acknowledgements

We express our gratitude to all members of the clinical laboratory in our hospital.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapporo Toho Hospital, Kita 17, Higashi 15, Higashi-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 065-0017, Japan

    Eisuke Inubashiri, Hiina Minami, Yukio Watanabe, Noriyuki Akutagawa, Katumaru Kuroki, Masaki Sugawara & Nobuhiko Maeda

  2. Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sapporo Toho Hospital, Kita 17, Higashi 15, Higashi-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 065-0017, Japan

    Naomi Nishiyama

  3. University of Sunderland, Edinburgh Building, City Campus, Chester Road, Sunderland, SR1 3SD, UK

    Sayuri Tatedo

  4. Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Hokkaido Medical Center for Child Health and Rehabilitation, Kanayama 1-jo 240-6, Teine-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 006-0041, Japan

    Keiji Haseyama

Authors
  1. Eisuke Inubashiri
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  2. Sayuri Tatedo
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  3. Naomi Nishiyama
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  4. Hiina Minami
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  5. Yukio Watanabe
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  6. Noriyuki Akutagawa
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  7. Katumaru Kuroki
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  8. Masaki Sugawara
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  9. Nobuhiko Maeda
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  10. Keiji Haseyama
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eisuke Inubashiri.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Ethical standards

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committees on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2008. Informed consent was obtained from all patients to be included in the study.

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Inubashiri, E., Tatedo, S., Nishiyama, N. et al. Feasibility assessment for successfully visualizing the fetal heart utilizing spatiotemporal image correlation. J Med Ultrasonics 45, 269–279 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-017-0818-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-017-0818-1

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