TIME-QUANTIFIED FETAL MOVEMENT DETECTION WITH 2-TRANSDUCER DATA FUSION

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to develop an automated ultrasound-based fe tal movement detection system to better define fetal movements. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred one patients had fetal movements recorded over a 2 0-minute period. Results of movement detection by a sing]e-transducer system (Russell 1) and a two-transducer fusion system (Russell 2) were compared with those of Hewlett-Packard (HP-M-1350-A), maternal percep tion, and expert ultrasonography review. RESULTS: A total of 86,592 se conds of videotape was scored for fetal movement. Russell 2 had a seco nd-per-second sensitivity of 57.21% compared with Russell 1 at 40.95%, the HP-M-1350-A at 31.44%, and maternal perception at 30.80%. Russell 2 detected 67.57% of discrete movements compared with 57.52%, 41.98%, and 37.92%, respectively, in other systems. CONCLUSION: Russell 2 rep resents a significant improvement over existing systems in detection o f fetal movements on a second-per-second basis.