Fetal pulmonary venous flow into the left atrium relative to diastolic and systolic cardiac time intervals

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Reference ranges for Doppler‐assessed pulmonary venous blood flow velocities and pulsatility indices in normal human fetuses

“…Time velocity integral ( Figure 5) was also found to increase with gestational age. Brezinka et al (1999) and Hong and Choi (1999) also observed an increase in TVI but less than in our study.…”

“…In the last ten years, the assessment of the fetal venous system using spectral and color Doppler evolved dramatically. Reference ranges were established for different vessels throughout gestation, focusing on: the inferior vena cava (Rizzo et al, 1992;Hecher et al, 1994), the hepatic veins (Hecher et al, 1994); the ductus venosus (Huisman et al, 1992;Kiserud et al, 1991); and, recently, the pulmonary (Brezinka et al, 1999;Paladini et al, 1997;Better et al, 1996;Laudy et al, 1995); and intracranial veins (Laurichesse-Delmas et al, 1999). The assessment of different Doppler parameters from the systemic veins was introduced into clinical practice in the management of fetuses with severe intrauterine growth retardation or cardiac failure (Reed et al, 1990;Kanzaki and Chiba, 1990;Hecher and Campbell, 1996;Rizzo et al, 1992).…”

“…In the last few years, increased interest in the analysis of the Doppler flow velocity waveforms of the pulmonary veins in the fetus has been observed, and a few studies reported on reference ranges throughout the second half of gestation (Hong and Choi, 1999; *Correspondence to: Rabih Chaoui, Unit of Prenatal Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Charité Hospital, Humboldt University, 10098 Berlin, Germany. E-mail: rabih.chaoui@charite.de Brezinka et al, 1999;Paladini et al, 1997;Better et al, 1996;Laudy et al, 1995). In almost all of these studies, peak velocities during systole (S), diastole (D) or atrial contraction (A) were measured, but no interest has been focussed on the changes of pulsatility within these vessels.…”

Changes in pulmonary venous Doppler parameters in fetal cardiac defects

“…Analysis of fetal pulmonary venous Doppler flow velocity waveforms (FVWs) in recent years focused on changes under normal conditions throughout the course of pregnancy1–6. It was found that, like other precordial veins, the FVWs of the fetal pulmonary veins show a pulsatile forward flow, consisting of a first peak during ventricular systole (S, i.e.…”

Fetal pulmonary venous flow pattern is determined by left atrial pressure: report of two cases of left heart hypoplasia, one with patent and the other with closed interatrial communication

“…This enables the identification of the correct venoatrial connection and the exclusion of abnormal pulmonary vein drainage. The Doppler flow velocity waveform of the pulmonary veins in the normal human fetus ( Figure 1) has recently been analyzed by several authors [2][3][4][5][6] .…”