M. Meyerwittkopf et al., EVALUATION OF 3-DIMENSIONAL ULTRASONOGRAPHY AND MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING IN ASSESSMENT OF CONGENITAL HEART ANOMALIES IN FETAL CARDIAC SPECIMENS, Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology, 8(5), 1996, pp. 303-308
Citations number
22
Categorie Soggetti
Acoustics,"Obsetric & Gynecology","Radiology,Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
In this observational study, multiplanar three-dimensional ultrasound
images were reconstructed from tomographic views obtained by scanning
seven cadavaric fetal hearts with various congenital heart defects. Co
mparisons were made with multiplanar three-dimensional magnetic resona
nce imaging (MRI) of the hearts. Good-quality echocardiographic images
were obtained in all but one of the fetal hearts. Multiplanar as well
as three-dimensional reconstructions were possible and allowed accura
te assessment of complex cardiac defects. Overall, the MRI projections
had better image quality and revealed more structural details than th
e sonographic views, although both imaging modes showed the same cardi
ac anatomical abnormalities. Our initial results demonstrate that simu
ltaneous multiplanar display of cross-sectional echocardiographic view
s can be performed to provide three-dimensional images of the fetal he
art, demonstrating structural cardiac malformation. However, the clini
cal application of three-dimensional fetal echocardiography is at pres
ent limited by the time required for image data acquisition and the ne
ed for accurate temporal and positional gating in the living fetus.