Evaluation of perinatal outcome using individualized growth assessment: comparison with conventional methods.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate individualized growth assessment using the Rossavik growth model for detection of growth-retarded neonates with poor perinatal outcomes. METHODS: Rossavik growth models derived from second-trimester ultrasound measurements were used to predict birth characteristics of 154 singleton neonates. Individual fetal growth curve standards for head and abdominal circumference and weight were determined from the data of two scans obtained before 25 weeks' menstrual age and separated by an interval of at least 5 weeks. Comparisons between actual and predicted birth characteristics were expressed by the Growth Potential Realization Index and the Neonatal Growth Assessment Score (NGAS). The proportions of perinatal outcomes (mechanical delivery, low Apgar score, abnormal fetal heart rate [FHR] patterns, neonatal acidosis, meconium staining of amniotic fluid, neonatal intensive care unit admission, and maternal complications), using NGAS, were compared with those by the traditional birth weight-for-gestational age method and the ponderal index, respectively. RESULTS: Of the 154 fetuses studied, 120 had normal growth outcomes at birth; 18 showed evidence of intrauterine growth retardation; and 16 had macrosomia, based on NGAS. According to birth weight-for-gestational age classification, 32 fetuses were small for gestational age; 118 were appropriate for gestational age; and only 4 were large for gestational age. According to the ponderal index, 55 fetuses had growth retardation, 99 showed appropriate growth and there was no macrosomia. There was a significant increase in mechanical deliveries in cases of growth-retarded neonates, determined using the NGAS classification, when compared with events related to normally grown or macrosomic neonates. However, there were no significant differences in mechanical deliveries among the groups by birth weight classification or ponderal index. Both birth weight classification and NGAS classification showed a significant increase in the low Apgar score, abnormal FHR patterns, and neonatal acidosis in infants classified as growth retarded when compared with appropriately grown or macrosomic infants. However, there were no significant differences in the low Apgar score, abnormal FHR patterns, and neonatal acidosis between growth-retarded and appropriately grown infants when they had been so classified by ponderal index. Three growth category classification methods failed to reveal significant differences in meconium staining of amniotic fluid, neonatal intensive care unit admission, and maternal complications among the groups. CONCLUSION: We do cast doubt on the usefulness of the ponderal index for detection of growth-retarded neonates with poor perinatal outcomes, and individualized growth assessment seems to perform at least as well as the traditional birth weight-for-gestational age method.

Longitudinal Doppler ultrasonographic assessment of alterations in regional vascular resistance of arteries in normal and growth-retarded fetuses.

The objective of this longitudinal study was to evaluate alterations in regional vascular resistance of arteries with advancing gestation in normal and growth-retarded fetuses. Color Doppler flow imaging and pulsed Doppler ultrasonographic assessments were performed on 13 normal and 7 growth-retarded fetuses, ranging from 15 to 40 weeks menstrual age. The pulsatility index was calculated for middle cerebral artery, descending aorta, splenic artery, renal artery, femoral artery and umbilical artery, respectively. Optimal models for these pulsatility index values were determined by regression analysis. A normal range of the pulsatility index for each artery generated in the normal fetuses. In the middle cerebral artery, the models showed a parabolic pattern during pregnancy in the two groups and the predicted pulsatility index values in growth-retarded fetuses were always lower than those in the normal fetuses, especially late in pregnancy. In the renal artery, the predicted pulsatility index values in growth-retarded fetuses were higher than those in normal fetuses near term. In other arteries, the predicted pulsatility index values showed their own specific patterns and there were no significant differences in predicted pulsatility index values in the two groups. In conclusion, alterations in regional vascular resistance of arteries with advancing menstrual age occur evidenced in both normal and growth-retarded fetuses.

Transvaginal ultrasonic assessment of the response to clomiphene citrate in polycystic ovarian syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between some ovarian morphological findings based on transvaginal ultrasound (US) and the clomiphene citrate (CC) responsiveness in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). DESIGN: A comparative study of ovarian US features between the CC responders and the CC nonresponders. SETTING: Infertility and Endocrine Clinic, Department of Obstetrics Gynecology, Shimane Medical University Hospital, Izumo, Japan. PATIENTS: Forty-seven infertile patients with PCOS and 30 healthy volunteers. INTERVENTIONS: A dose of 50 to 200 mg/d CC was given for ovulation induction in patients with PCOS. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ovarian volume and number of follicles; serum LH, FSH, T, delta 4 androstenedione, and DHEAS. RESULTS: The mean ovarian volume (11.9 mL) and the number of small follicles (13.0) were significantly larger in the CC nonresponders compared with those of the CC responders (7.9 mL and 7.0, respectively). Only 47% of the CC responders and 79% of the CC nonresponders had bilaterally enlarged ovaries (> 6.2 mL). Considerable overlap existed between the different groups. However, 96% of the CC nonresponders had a significantly increased number of follicles (> or = 10 follicles) in each ovary compared with that (16%) of the CC responders. Furthermore, with the combination of these parameters, none of the CC nonresponders had bilaterally normal ovaries, and 96% of patients with PCOS with bilaterally abnormal ovaries were CC nonresponsive. CONCLUSIONS: Small multiple follicles (> or = 10) and enlarged ovarian volume (> 6.2 mL) were the most prominent transvaginal US features of ovaries in patients with PCOS with CC nonresponsiveness. These US features could be clinically useful for distinguishing clearly a CC nonresponder from a CC responder.

Morphological assessment of polycystic ovary using transvaginal ultrasound.

A total of 104 patients with bilateral polycystic ovaries (PCO) diagnosed by transvaginal ultrasound were classified into four groups (A < 5 cysts, B 5-10 cysts, C > 10 cysts located under ovarian capsule, D numerous cysts distributed all over the ovary) according to the number of microcysts. Ovarian volume, clinical features (menstrual disturbance, obesity and hirsutism), endocrine levels [luteinizing hormone (LH), LH/follicle stimulating hormone ratio, testosterone, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate] and response to clomiphene were compared for each group and 17 control subjects with normal ovulatory cycles. Ovarian volume in PCO subjects was significantly larger than that in control subjects. As the number of microcysts increased, the ovarian volume enlarged and the endocrine abnormality worsened. All endocrine parameters in PCO subjects with menstrual disturbances were significantly higher than those in PCO subjects without menstrual disturbances and controls. In PCO subjects without menstrual disturbances only androstenedione was significantly higher than in controls. Among PCO subjects, the frequency of menstrual disturbances, the percentage of response to clomiphene and the pregnancy rate in groups C and D were significantly higher than in groups A and B. Therefore, screening the ovaries in infertile patients by means of transvaginal ultrasound and subsequent assessment of morphology in PCO may suggest endocrine abnormality and help in selecting the proper treatment.

Echocardiographic assessment of systolic time intervals in vaginal and cesarean delivered neonates.

Echocardiographic assessments of fetal and neonatal systolic time intervals were made to determine differences in circulatory changes in 40 neonates delivered vaginally and 30 delivered by elective cesarean section. Left preejection period (LPEP), left ventricular ejection time (LVET), LPEP/LVET, right preejection period (RPEP), right ventricular ejection time (RVET), RPEP/RVET, and heart rate were determined at various time points from antenatal to 120 hours after delivery. There were no significant changes in left systolic time intervals between the two groups at any various time points. However, RPEP and RPEP/RVET values were significantly higher in the cesarean section group than in those in normal vaginal delivery group within 12 hours after delivery. These results suggest that the transient pulmonary hypertension after delivery is prolonged in babies delivered by elective cesarean section.

Transvaginal Doppler ultrasound assessment of intratumoral hemodynamic change before and during hypertensive intra-arterial chemotherapy for uterine cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate blood flow in malignant uterine tumors during hypertensive intra-arterial chemotherapy. METHODS: Hypertensive intra-arterial chemotherapy (angiotensin II, cisplatin 100 mg, doxorubicin 40 mg) was given to two women with cervical cancer (stage IVA) and seven with endometrial cancer (three stage IA, one stage IB, two stage II, and one stage III). The intratumoral blood flow velocity waveforms were imaged by transvaginal Doppler ultrasound before and during the chemotherapy in six patients. RESULTS: The mean peak systolic velocity during hypertensive intra-arterial chemotherapy (58.9 +/- 29.3 cm/second) was significantly higher than that before chemotherapy (16.0 +/- 6.3 cm/second) (P < .05). There was a significant difference between the end-diastolic velocity before (5.2 +/- 1.8 cm/second) and during chemotherapy (21.2 +/- 6.8 cm/second) (P < .05). The resistance index value during hypertensive intra-arterial chemotherapy (0.607 +/- 0.094) fell significantly from that before therapy (0.644 +/- 0.119) (P < .05). Blood flow velocity waveforms in normal myometrial tissue could be recorded in three cases; in all, the diastolic flow noted before hypertensive intra-arterial chemotherapy disappeared during chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that hypertensive intra-arterial chemotherapy induces a selective marked increase of blood flow in uterine cancer.

Ultrasonographic assessment of fetal and neonatal spleen.

To assess the growth and function of the fetal spleen, ultrasonographic examinations were performed on 229 normal fetuses, ranging from 20 to 41 weeks, menstrual age. Curvilinear relationships were found between the menstrual age and splenic length (R2 = 92.7%), circumference (R2 = 93.9%), and area (R2 = 95.2%). A normal range of splenic length, circumference, and area measurements for estimating the growth of the fetal spleen during normal pregnancy was generated. Splenic parameter values just after delivery were significantly lower than those measured within 7 days before delivery, and returned to former sizes 24 hours later, in both vaginal delivery and cesarean section groups. Splenic parameter values in the vaginal delivery group were also significantly lower than those in the cesarean section group, just after delivery. Moreover, neonatal splenic length showed negative correlations with lactate dehydrogenase (p < 0.001) and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (p < 0.05) in the umbilical venous blood, respectively. These results provide a foundation for the evaluation of fetal splenic growth and function during pregnancy and the early neonatal period.

Transvaginal color Doppler imaging for hemodynamic assessment of reproductive tract tumors.

Transvaginal color Doppler flow imaging was carried out on 68 Japanese women (normal, 10; uterine myoma, 21; cervical carcinoma, 7; endometrial carcinoma, 10; benign ovarian tumor, 12; ovarian carcinoma, 8). Blood flow velocity waveforms were evaluated by calculation of the resistance index (RI). In 6 patients with cervical carcinoma neovascularization was evident within the cervix. In all patients with endometrial carcinoma such signs were present adjacent to and/or within the endometrium. These findings were absent in normal women and in those with myomata. There was a significant difference between the RI (0.510 +/- 0.097) in patients with cervical carcinoma and in normal women (0.881 +/- 0.048) in the ascending branch. In endometrial carcinoma the RI (0.535 +/- 0.158) was significantly lower in the arcuate artery compared to the normal uterus (0.768 +/- 0.075) and patients with uterine myoma (0.679 +/- 0.131), respectively. There was no area of neovascularization in the normal ovaries. Neovascularization was confirmed in four patients with a benign ovarian tumor and in all patients with an ovarian carcinoma. A significantly lower RI was obtained in cases of ovarian carcinoma (0.503 +/- 0.122) than in patients with benign ovarian tumors (0.888 +/- 0.216). Transvaginal color Doppler imaging and pulsed Doppler analysis may be useful diagnostic tools to differentiate benign and malignant tumors.

[Doppler ultrasonic assessment with hemodynamics of gynecologic tumor].

Color and pulsed Doppler ultrasound examinations were done on 11 normal volunteers (NU) and 286 patients that consisted of cervical carcinoma (CC), leiomyoma and/or adenomyosis (M), endometrial carcinoma (EC), trophoblastic disease (TD), benign ovarian tumor (BO), Krukenberg tumor (KT) and ovarian carcinoma (OC). The vascularity was based on the resistance index (RI) and maximum blood flow velocity (Vmax). In uterine disease, there was significant difference (p less than 0.01) among each group, except but one correspondence between NU and CC with RI, and there was significant difference (p less than 0.001) between NU and M, CC and M with Vmax. In ovarian disease, there was significant difference among each group with RI, and there was no significant difference among each group with Vmax. Therefore, Doppler ultrasound is a useful diagnostic tool for assessing gynecologic tumor vascularity.

Doppler ultrasound assessment of tumor vascularity in gynecologic disorders.

Real-time two-dimensional and pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasonic examinations were performed on 8 normal volunteers and 97 patients with various gynecologic disorders; the objective was to assess uterine and tumor vascularities. Each arterial blood flow velocity wave-form was classified into two types. The resistance indices of normal and abnormal flows were greater than .7 and less than .7, respectively. In normal volunteers, abnormal flows were nil. In 8 of 44 patients with benign tumors (18.2%), abnormal flows were evident and all proved to be cases of leiomyoma or adenomyosis. Doppler signals were not detected in 18 of 36 patients with cervical carcinoma (50%) and abnormal flows were noted in only 6 (16.7%). In all cases of endometrial carcinoma, ovarian carcinoma, and trophoblastic disease, typically abnormal flows were noted. Moreover, in most subjects a decrease in blood flows was observed after chemotherapy by anticancer drugs or irradiation. Therefore, Doppler ultrasound is a pertinent and noninvasive tool that can be used repeatedly for assessing the tumor vascularity in gynecologic disorders.

Fetal Doppler echocardiographic assessment of cardiac blood flow velocity in normal fetuses and in those with congenital heart disease.

Ninety fetal Doppler echocardiographic examinations were performed on 72 normal fetuses and 5 with congenital heart disease [2 pulmonary stenosis (PS), 1 pulmonary atresia (PA), 1 tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) and 1 endocardial cushion defect (ECD)] at 16 to 40 weeks of gestational age. The maximum transmitral (MVMax), transtricuspid (TVMax), transaortic (AVMax) and transpulmonary blood flow velocity waveforms (PVMax) were assessed. The detection rates for MVMax, TVMax, AVMax and PVMax in normal fetuses were 69.4%, 68.2%, 77.6% and 43.5%, respectively. MVMax, TVMax, AVMax and PVMax correlated well with gestational age, in the normal fetuses. However, there was no correlation between MVMax, TVMax, AVMax, PVMax and heart rate, in the normal fetuses, respectively. The TVMax/MVMax ratio was one and over in 53 of 55 normal fetuses (96.4%), and the PVMax/AVMax ratio was one and over in 11 of 25 normal fetuses (44%). In cases of PS, the TVMax was relatively low, but the PVMax was definitely high. The TVMax/MVMax ratios in cases of PS were 0.8 and 1.0, respectively. AVMax in a fetus with TOF was definitely low and markedly decreased in the case of ECD. Therefore, fetal Doppler echocardiography is a pertinent diagnostic tool which can be used to analyze cardiac hemodynamics in all fetuses, in utero.

Ultrasonographic assessment of fetal adrenal gland and placenta: correlation with estrogen in maternal urine.

Forty-eight ultrasonographic examinations done to assess growth of the fetal adrenal gland and placental aging were performed on 17 normal fetuses and 7 fetuses with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). Gestational age ranged from 30 to 40 weeks. High correlations of the area of fetal adrenal gland (FAGA) with gestational age were noted in the normal fetuses (r = 0.96, p less than 0.001) and IUGR (r = 0.93, p less than 0.001), respectively. FAGA correlated well with the level of estrogens in the maternal urine (r = 0.65, p less than 0.001). When the value of FAGA was 300 mm2 and over, the level of estrogens in the maternal urine was 20 mg/day and over, and all were normal fetuses. In cases of grade I and II placentas, the mean values of FAGA in normal fetuses were larger than those in IUGR, respectively (p less than 0.001). In the case of IUGR with placental infarction and hematoma associated with severe toxemia of pregnancy, the FAGA was significantly small.