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Doppler Ultrasonography for the Noninvasive Measurement of Uterine Artery Volume Blood Flow Through Gestation in the Pregnant Sheep

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Abstract

Accurate noninvasive quantification of volume blood flow in the uterine arteries (UtAs) would have clinical and research benefits. We evaluated the correlation and agreement between uterine artery volume blood flow (UtABF) as calculated (cUtABF)from color/pulsed-wave Doppler acquisitions and that measured (mUtABF) by bilateral perivascular transit-time flow probes in 6 pregnant sheep at 2 gestational ages. Out of 22 Doppler acquisitions, 19 were successful. The overall correlation between cUtABF and mUtABF was 0.55 (n = 19, P = .01). Calculated UtABF and mUtABF were significantly correlated in late gestation (n = 11, r = 0.71, P = .01) but not at mid-gestation (n = 8, r= .02, P = .96). By Bland-Altman analysis, the mean cUtABF/mUtABF was 1.15 with 95% limit of agreement (−0.26 to 2.56), similar to results previously achieved using power/pulsed-wave Doppler. Despite the acceptable correlation, the limits of agreement between Doppler and transit-time flow probe measurements remain wide. This makes Doppler ultrasonography less than a desirable method to quantify UtABF in studies where accurate quantification is required.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fetal Medicine Unit, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women’s Health, University College London and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 86-96 Chenies Mews, WC1E 6HX, London, UK

    Khalil N. Abi-Nader MD, Elisa Filippi MD, Donald M. Peebles MD, FRCOG & Anna L. David PhD, MRCOG

  2. Prenatal Cell and Gene Therapy Group, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women’s Health, University College London and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

    Khalil N. Abi-Nader MD, Vedanta Mehta MSc, Victoria Wigley MSc, Elisa Filippi MD, Berrin Tezcan MD, Donald M. Peebles MD, FRCOG & Anna L. David PhD, MRCOG

  3. Biological Services Unit, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK

    Michael Boyd MSc

Authors
  1. Khalil N. Abi-Nader MD
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  2. Vedanta Mehta MSc
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  3. Victoria Wigley MSc
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  4. Elisa Filippi MD
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  5. Berrin Tezcan MD
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  6. Michael Boyd MSc
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  7. Donald M. Peebles MD, FRCOG
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  8. Anna L. David PhD, MRCOG
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Khalil N. Abi-Nader MD.

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The authors declare that there are no financial, intellectual, or personal interests related to the material discussed in this study.

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Abi-Nader, K.N., Mehta, V., Wigley, V. et al. Doppler Ultrasonography for the Noninvasive Measurement of Uterine Artery Volume Blood Flow Through Gestation in the Pregnant Sheep. Reprod. Sci. 17, 13–19 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719109344772

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719109344772

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