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Three-dimensional sonographic volume measurement of the fetal cerebellum

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Abstract

Purpose

The objective of this longitudinal study was to evaluate the growth of the fetal cerebellum in normal pregnancy by using three-dimensional ultrasound.

Methods

Three-dimensional sonographic examinations were performed for 13 appropriate-for-gestational-age fetuses. Fetal cerebellar volume was measured every 2 to 3 weeks after 20 weeks of gestational age until delivery. The common multiplanar technique was used to calculate the fetal cerebellar volume.

Results

A curvilinear relationship was found between gestational age and cerebellar volume (R2 = 78.6%, P < 0.0001), and normal ranges of cerebellar volume measurements for estimating the growth of the fetal cerebellum during normal pregnancy were generated. The data gathered in this study were fairly comparable with previous data obtained using three-dimensional ultrasound. However, the normal ranges of cerebellar volume that we determined were relatively wide throughout pregnancy.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that a standard curve for fetal cerebellar volume using three-dimensional ultrasound can play a role in the evaluation of normal cerebellar growth in the fetus. However, we do cast doubt on the reliability and reproducibility of cerebellar volume measurement using three-dimensional ultrasound. Further studies involving a larger sample size and another technique (the rotational method with VOCAL) would be needed to confirm these findings.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Perinatology and Gynecology, Kagawa University School of Medicine, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan

    Toshiyuki Hata, Shu-Yan Dai, Eisuke Inubashiri, Uiko Hanaoka, Kenji Kanenishi, Chizu Yamashiro, Hirokazu Tanaka & Toshihiro Yanagihara

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Suzuki Hospital, Toyota, Aichi, Japan

    Atsushi Kuno

Authors
  1. Toshiyuki Hata
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  2. Atsushi Kuno
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  3. Shu-Yan Dai
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  4. Eisuke Inubashiri
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  5. Uiko Hanaoka
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  6. Kenji Kanenishi
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  7. Chizu Yamashiro
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  8. Hirokazu Tanaka
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  9. Toshihiro Yanagihara
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Toshiyuki Hata.

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Hata, T., Kuno, A., Dai, SY. et al. Three-dimensional sonographic volume measurement of the fetal cerebellum. J Med Ultrasonics 34, 17–21 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-006-0122-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-006-0122-y

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