Prenatal visualisation of the torcular herophili by means of a Doppler technology highly sensitive for low-velocity flow in the expert assessment of the posterior fossa: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of a Doppler technology highly sensitive for low-velocity flow in the antenatal imaging of the torcular herophili (TH) in the second trimester of pregnancy. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Referral Fetal Medicine Unit. POPULATION: Non-consecutive series of singleton pregnancies submitted to antenatal neurosonogram between 20 and 28 weeks of gestation. METHODS: A midsagittal section of the fetal brain was obtained by insonating through the anterior fontanelle, then the MV-Flow™ and LumiFlow™ presets were selected to visualise the TH as the posterior confluence of the superior sagittal sinus and the straight sinus. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Evaluation of the anatomic relationship of the TH with the 'transpalatal line' joining the upper bony palate to the fetal skull. RESULTS: A total of 99 pregnant women were recruited, including one fetus with open spina bifida, one with Dandy-Walker malformation (DWM) and two with Blake's pouch cysts. In normal fetuses, the TH appeared to lie on or just below the 'transpalatal line'. In the cases of Blake's pouch cyst, the position of the TH appeared normal if compared with controls, whereas in DWM a supra-elevated position of the TH in respect of the transpalatal line was demonstrated. Finally, in the fetus with Chiari II malformation the TH was identified below the 'transpalatal plane'. CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal ultrasound visualisation of the TH by means of newly developed Doppler technologies characterised by high sensitivity for low-velocity flow is feasible and allows the indirect evaluation of the insertion of cerebellar tentorium in the second trimester. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Prenatal imaging of the torcular herophili using a Doppler technology highly sensitive for low-velocity flow.

Prenatal diagnosis of fetal multiple hemivertebrae: the importance of 3D ultrasound assessment.

We herein present a case of fetal multiple hemivertebrae detected at antenatal sonography. The use of the 3 D technology supported by a new contrast enhancement rendering algorithm (Crystal Vue) has allowed the accurate prenatal classification of the defect, confirmed at follow up, that would have been difficult to define by 2 D only.

Cerebroplacental ratio assessment in early labor in uncomplicated term pregnancy and prediction of adverse perinatal outcome: prospective multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: It has been suggested that the use of Doppler ultrasound in term pregnancies with normal-sized fetuses is able to identify those at high risk of subclinical placental function impairment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) measured in early labor and perinatal and delivery outcomes in a cohort of uncomplicated singleton term pregnancies. METHODS: This was a prospective multicenter observational study conducted at three tertiary centers between January 2016 and July 2017. Low-risk term pregnancies, defined by the absence of maternal morbidity or pregnancy complication, accompanied by normal ultrasound and clinical screening of fetal growth in the third trimester, with spontaneous onset of labor were included. Umbilical artery (UA) and fetal middle cerebral artery (MCA) Doppler was assessed on admission for early labor. All measurements were performed in between uterine contractions and according to international standards. CPR was computed by dividing MCA pulsatility index by UA pulsatility index and converted into multiples of the median (MoM) in order to adjust for gestational age. Doctors and midwives involved in the clinical management of the women were blinded to the results of the Doppler evaluation. Mode of delivery and perinatal outcome were compared between pregnancies with reduced CPR MoM, defined as CPR MoM within the lowest decile of the study population, and those with normal CPR MoM. Receiver-operating characteristics curve analysis was used to assess the predictive performance of CPR for obstetric intervention due to fetal distress and composite adverse perinatal outcome. RESULTS: Overall, 562 women were included. The rate of obstetric intervention for suspected fetal distress in labor was more than three times higher among cases with reduced CPR MoM compared to those with normal CPR MoM (9/54 (16.7%) vs 28/508 (5.5%); P = 0.004). Furthermore, a significantly higher rate of composite adverse perinatal outcome was found in fetuses with CPR MoM < 10th percentile compared to those with CPR MoM ≥ 10th percentile (6/54 (11.1%) vs 19/508 (3.7%); P = 0.012). CPR had low sensitivity and low positive predictive value for prediction of obstetric intervention due to fetal distress (24.3% and 18.0%, respectively) and composite adverse perinatal outcome (24.0% and 11.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Data on a wide cohort of low-risk term pregnancies in early labor showed that, while reduced CPR is associated with a higher risk of obstetric intervention due to fetal distress and composite adverse perinatal outcome, it is a poor predictor of adverse perinatal outcome. Copyright © 2018 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Three-dimensional assessment of umbilical vein deviation angle for prediction of liver herniation in left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

OBJECTIVES: To introduce a new sonographic marker of intrathoracic liver herniation in fetuses with left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). METHODS: In a consecutive series of fetuses with isolated CDH, an ultrasound volume of the fetal abdomen was acquired. On this volume, offline calculation of the angle formed by the midline of the abdomen (joining the center of the vertebral body to the abdominal insertion of the umbilical cord) and a second line joining the center of the vertebral body to the intra-abdominal convexity of the umbilical vein was carried out to give the umbilical vein deviation angle (UVDA). The UVDA was measured in a group of normal fetuses selected as controls. At follow-up, the presence of liver herniation was investigated in all cases of CDH. UVDA values were compared between the CDH group and controls, and between CDH 'liver-up' vs 'liver-down' cases. A receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve was constructed to identify a cut-off value of the UVDA with the highest accuracy in predicting liver herniation in the CDH group. RESULTS: Between 2009 and 2015, 22 cases of left-sided CDH were included in the study group, of which nine cases had liver herniation. Eighty-eight normal fetuses were recruited as controls. The UVDA was significantly higher in the cases vs controls (15.25 ± 7.91° vs 7.68 ± 1.55°; P < 0.0001). Moreover, the UVDA was significantly increased in CDH fetuses with liver-up vs liver-down (21.77 ± 8.79° vs 10.75 ± 2.10°; P < 0.0001). On ROC curve analysis the UVDA showed good prediction of liver herniation (area under the ROC curve, 0.94; P < 0.0001) with the best cut-off of 15.2°, yielding a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 100% (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In fetuses with CDH, umbilical vein bowing may be quantified by measuring the UVDA using three-dimensional ultrasound. This sonographic marker seems to be an accurate predictor of liver herniation in left-sided CDH. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.