Fetal Pulmonary Artery Doppler Waveform: A Preliminary Report

Abstract

Objective: The study of fetal lung circulation by means of pulmonary Doppler investigation. Methods: Pulmonary Doppler ultrasound obtained with color pulsed-Doppler with a 3.5- to 5-MHz probe. Measure of resistance index and pulsatility index. Patients: 47 pregnant women with singleton, between 18 and 39.5 weeks of gestation, were recruited to have pulmonary Doppler ultrasound. Seven fetuses had intrauterine fetal growth retardation (IUGR). Overall, 50 Doppler velocity waveforms were measured. Results: Resistance and pulsatility index were measured in all patients and at each examination. Resistance index (0.86 ± 0.03) and pulsatility index (2.46 ± 0.34) were found to be stable during pregnancy. Pulmonary pulsatility index in IUGR fetuses (2.71 ± 0.33) were found to be higher than those in normotrophic infants (p = 0.006), whereas no difference was found in resistance index between the same subgroups. Moreover, no difference was found in pulsatility index measurements between preterm small-for-gestational age fetuses and normotrophic fetuses measured between 36 and 39.5 weeks of gestation (2.68 ± 0.31 vs. 2.49 ± 0.28). Conclusion: Pulmonary resistance index is not statistically different between normotrophic and IUGR fetuses. In contrast, pulmonary pulsatility index is significantly higher in IUGR fetuses when compared to normotrophic fetuses. Pulmonary Doppler ultrasound should be evaluated in a larger trial and correlation between Doppler measurements and fetal lung maturation should be studied.

The fetal lung 2: pulmonary hypoplasia

“…Further, discrepancies appear to exist regarding reported peak systolic velocities in the proximal arterial pulmonary branches, which vary from a significant increase 128,133,135,139,140 to gestational age independency 132,134 . Finally, in the same vessel the pulsatility index together with the resistance index 137,138 have been described as remaining constant 128,134,137,138,140,141 or demonstrating a gestational age-related decrease 133,135,138,139 . Probably sample site and equipment-related differences (high-pass filter setting) play a role in the occurrence of these discrepancies.…”

Clinical Analysis of Fetal Lung Development Index and Pregnancy Outcome in Pregnant Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus with Satisfactory Blood Glucose Control

“…The growth law of fetal lung could be reflected by measuring the diameter lines of fetal lung through imaging examination [ 12 ]. With the development of color Doppler flow imaging technology, it is gradually used to evaluate fetal pulmonary circulation (mainly pulmonary artery flow) [ 13 , 14 ]. In order to acquire a more objective basis, this subject intends to compare the differences of fetal main pulmonary artery Doppler flow curve parameters, fetal lung development diameter lines, and neonatal birth outcomes between GDM pregnant women with satisfactory blood glucose control and normal pregnant women, exploring the law of fetal lung development in the two groups and the correlation between fetal main pulmonary artery Doppler flow curve parameters and fetal lung maturity, and determining the most significant parameters, so as to reflect the maturity of fetal lung development.…”

Segmentary fetal branch pulmonary artery blood flow velocimetry: in utero Doppler study

“…Furthermore, the results of these studies have been controversial. Studies by Rizzo et al 2 Rasanen et al 3 and Chaoui et al 4 have shown a decrease in the pulsatility index (PI) with increasing gestational age (GA), whereas Emerson and Cartier 5 , Laudi et al 6 and Cynober et al 7 reported no change in pulmonary artery resistance throughout pregnancy. Moreover, a recent study from our group showed that the increase of the mean PI was insignificant during normal human gestation 8 .…”