S. Yagel et al., Simultaneous multigate spectral Doppler imaging of the umbilical artery and placental vessels: novel ultrasound technology, ULTRASOUN O, 14(4), 1999, pp. 256-261
Objective To establish gestational age-specific nomograms of pulsatility in
dices in the umbilical artery and chorionic and intraplacental vessels, usi
ng novel ultrasound technology.
Study design A prospective, cross-sectional study of 160 healthy singleton
pregnancies between 18 and 33 weeks of gestation.
Measurements Using simultaneous multigate spectral Doppler imaging speciali
zed hardware and software, we measured the flow velocity waveforms of the u
mbilical artery, chorionic and intraplacental vessels. Computerized automat
ic mapping calculated the pulsatility indices in regions of interest.
Results Data were adequately obtained for 160 fetuses. The pulsatility inde
x values in the three sites measured decreased with advancing gestational a
ge; the correlation coefficients r = -0.74, r = -0.67 and r = -0.68 for the
umbilical artery, chorionic and intraplacental vessels, respectively, were
found to be highly statistically significant (p < 0.0001).
Conclusion Simultaneous multigate spectral Doppler imaging provides simulta
neous measurements of the velocity waveforms in the umbilical artery, chori
onic and intraplacental vessels, and is a feasible and reproducible method
of obtaining these data. The normal data presented may facilitate early det
ection of flow disturbances in the fetoplacental circulation.