Diagnostic value of three sections of aortic arch under ultrasonography in fetal aortic coarctation / 中华围产医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of three sections of aortic arch under ultrasonography, including the three vessels and tracheal view (3VT), long-axis and coronal view of the aortic arch, in fetal coarctation of the aorta (CoA) and the reasons for missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis. Methods This study involved 52 fetuses with CoA who were identified by prenatal ultrasonography and confirmed in postnatal operation in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from June 2013 to June 2018. Echocardiographic findings of all cases were analyzed retrospectively to summarize the prenatal imaging features. Results The 3VT was displayed in all cases (100%). The long-axis view of the aortic arch was observed in 88.5%, while the coronal view was observed in 76.9%. Among the 52 cases, nine were missed diagnosis and three were misdiagnosed due to unsatisfactory views of the three sections of aortic arch. All cases showed an increased ratio of the pulmonary artery to the aorta diameter in 3VT, which was a critical indicator of CoA in prenatal ultrasonographic diagnosis. Satisfactory aortic arch coronal views were obtained in 40 cases and all showed constriction at the isthmus of aortic arch and an connection to the descending aorta. Out of the 46 with a satisfactory long-axis view of the aortic arch, a narrow isthmus of aortic arch was shown in 38 cases, with the inner diameter of (1.8±0.2) mm ranging from 0.9 to 2.9 mm. Conclusions Observation of three sections of aortic arch under ultrasonography is of great importance in prenatal diagnosis of CoA.