COMPARISON OF 3 TYPES OF ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCERS IN EVALUATING THE AMNIOTIC-FLUID INDEX

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was good corr elation between amniotic fluid index measurements obtained with differ ent types of ultrasound transducer. Women undergoing obstetric ultraso nography for multiple indications between 26 and 40 weeks' gestation h ad the four-quadrant amniotic fluid index measured with three ultrasou nd transducers: 3.5-MHz linear, 3.5-MHz sector and 3.5-MHz convex. Pea rson product-moment correlation and linear regression analysis were ut ilized to compare the amniotic fluid index values. Sixty-five women pa rticipated in the study. A statisticalIy significant correlation was n oted between the three ultrasound transducers evaluated (P <.001). Pla cental location did not appear to affect the results. Amniotic fluid i ndex values obtained with the sector or convex transducers were as rel iable as those obtained with the ''gold standard'' linear transducer a nd may be interpreted in the same manner.