Maximal Reduction of STIC Acquisition Time for Volumetric Assessment of the Fetal Heart—Benefits and Limitations of Semiautomatic Fetal Intelligent Navigation Echocardiography (FINE) Static Mode

Abstract

(1) Objective: To scrutinize the reliability and the clinical value of routinely used fetal intelligent navigation echocardiography (FINE) static mode (5DHeartStatic™) for accelerated semiautomatic volumetric assessment of the normal fetal heart. (2) Methods: In this study, a total of 296 second and third trimester fetuses were examined by targeted ultrasound. Spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) volumes of the fetal heart were acquired for further volumetric assessment. In addition, all fetal hearts were scanned by a fast acquisition time volume (1 s). The volumes were analyzed using the FINE software. The data were investigated regarding the number of properly reconstructed planes and cardiac axis. (3) Results: A total of 257 volumes were included for final analysis. The mean gestational age (GA) was 23.9 weeks (14.3 to 37.7 weeks). In 96.9 (standard acquisition time, FINE standard mode) and 94.2% (fast acquisition time, FINE static mode) at least seven planes were reconstructed properly (p = 0.0961, not significant). Regarding the overall depiction rate, the standard mode was able to reconstruct 96.9% of the planes properly, whereas the static mode showed 95.2% of the planes (p = 0.0098). Moreover, there was no significant difference between the automatic measurement of the cardiac axis (37.95 + 9.14 vs. 38.00 + 8.92 degrees, p = 0.8827, not significant). (4) Conclusions: Based on our results, the FINE static mode technique is a reliable method. It provides similar information of the cardiac anatomy compared to conventional STIC volumes assessed by the FINE method. The FINE static mode has the potential to minimize the influence of motion artifacts during volume acquisition and might therefore be helpful concerning volumetric cardiac assessment in daily routine.

Application of Semiautomatic Fetal Intelligent Navigation Echocardiography (FINE) in Twin Pregnancies: Half the Work or Twice the Effort?

“…In 95.9% (twin 1) and 93.9% (twin 2), at least 7 cardiac planes were correctly reconstructed. These results are consistent with those derived from previous studies [ 11 , 23 , 24 , 30 , 34 , 35 ]. In our past studies, FINE showed overall depiction rates between 83.3% and 96.9%.…”

“…The static mode allows the automatic generation of the nine diagnostic planes using fast-acquired STIC volumes (e.g., 1s). The FINE standard mode reconstructed at least 7 planes in 96.9%, while the FINE static mode did so in 94.2% [ 35 ]. According to that, we concluded the possible usefulness of the FINE static mode in moving fetuses.…”

“…Our data indicated the applicability of FINE in different states of investigator experience [ 30 ] and in inconvenient fetal spine positions [ 34 ]. The most recent data show a good performance of FINE static mode [ 35 ], a technique based on very rapid acquisition time STIC volumes (e.g., 1s) and could be helpful in more active fetuses.…”

Semi-Automatic Measurement of Fetal Cardiac Axis in Fetuses with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) with Fetal Intelligent Navigation Echocardiography (FINE)

“…Understanding the heart's position as well as the fetal cardiac axis is essential to facilitate accurate diagnosis and planning further management or interventions. An abnormal cardiac axis can be associated with CHD, and the likelihood of an abnormal cardiac axis depends on the CHD type [20,21].…”