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Fetal age in Quarter Horses can be predicted within 2 weeks from 100- to 200- days of gestation using femur length, biparietal diameter (cranium diameter) and eye approximated volume. However, as pregnancy advances, the femur and cranium become too large to be imaged in their entirety using ultrasound and the corresponding biometric parameters can no longer be measured. In this longitudinal study, the proximal phalanx (P1) was evaluated as a novel biometric parameter for late gestation to predict fetal age and bone maturation. Transrectal ultrasound was performed in ten pregnant mares with known ovulation dates, every two weeks from 240- days of gestation until parturition. P1 was imaged in 69 % of the examinations. Inability to image P1 was due to obstructive positioning such as carpal or fetlock flexion, or posterior presentation of the fetus. Advancing fetal age did not affect visibility of P1. P1 length correlated significantly with days of gestation and a correlation equation was established: y = 0.3837x -69.55 where y is the predicted value of P1 length and x is the day of gestation (with day 0 being the day of ovulation). When P1 length was equal to or larger than the width of the ultrasound image (52.5 mm), 90 % of mares (9/10) were above 300- days of gestation. Ossification of the proximal and distal epiphysis of P1 typically appeared between 277- and 303 -days of gestation (mean: 288 days). The proximal epiphysis did not close before parturition whereas the distal one closed between 306- and 333-days of gestation (mean: 320 days). P1 epiphyseal appearance and closure occurred chronologically reflecting bone maturation. Radiographic findings at birth and prenatal ultrasound findings were in agreement, apart from timing of P1 distal epiphyseal closure. In conclusion, P1 length can be used as a new fetal biometric parameter to assess fetal age and growth after 240- days of gestation. The knowledge of P1 bone maturation process in utero as a marker for fetal bone development, may also be valuable in clinical decision-making when considering inducing parturition in the mare., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Introduction: Undetected high-risk conditions in pregnancy are a leading cause of perinatal mortality in low-income and middle-income countries. A key contributor to adverse perinatal outcomes in these settings is limited access to high-quality screening and timely referral to care. Recently, a low-cost one-dimensional Doppler ultrasound (1-D DUS) device was developed that front-line workers in rural Guatemala used to collect quality maternal and fetal data. Further, we demonstrated with retrospective preliminary data that 1-D DUS signal could be processed using artificial intelligence and deep-learning algorithms to accurately estimate fetal gestational age, intrauterine growth and maternal blood pressure. This protocol describes a prospective observational pregnancy cohort study designed to prospectively evaluate these preliminary findings., Methods and Analysis: This is a prospective observational cohort study conducted in rural Guatemala. In this study, we will follow pregnant women (N =700) recruited prior to 18 6/7 weeks gestation until their delivery and early postpartum period. During pregnancy, trained nurses will collect data on prenatal risk factors and obstetrical care. Every 4 weeks, the research team will collect maternal weight, blood pressure and 1-D DUS recordings of fetal heart tones. Additionally, we will conduct three serial obstetric ultrasounds to evaluate for fetal growth restriction (FGR), and one postpartum visit to record maternal blood pressure and neonatal weight and length. We will compare the test characteristics (receiver operator curves) of 1-D DUS algorithms developed by deep-learning methods to two-dimensional fetal ultrasound survey and published clinical pre-eclampsia risk prediction algorithms for predicting FGR and pre-eclampsia, respectively., Ethics and Dissemination: Results of this study will be disseminated at scientific conferences and through peer-reviewed articles. Deidentified data sets will be made available through public repositories. The study has been approved by the institutional ethics committees of Maya Health Alliance and Emory University., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The bespoke Android App, source code and algorithms developed for this study are open source and will be available through appropriate public repositories on project completion. The authors have no financial interest in the app or source code. PR and GDC receive funding from the Google Nonprofit Foundation for other artificial intelligence projects related to detection of maternal and neonatal conditions in low-resource settings., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

The goal of our research is to elucidate and better assess placental function in rats with preeclampsia through an innovative application of ultrasound-based radiomics. Using a rat model induced with L-NAME, we carefully investigated placental dysfunction via microstructural analysis and immunoprotein level assessment. Employing the Boruta feature selection method on ultrasound images facilitated the identification of crucial features, consequently enabling the development of a robust model for classifying placental dysfunction. Our study included 12 pregnant rats, and thorough placental evaluations were conducted on 160 fetal rats. Distinct alterations in placental microstructure and angiogenic factor expression were evident in rats with preeclampsia. Leveraging high-throughput mining of quantitative image features, we extracted 558 radiomic features, which were subsequently used to construct an impressive evaluation model with an area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) of 0.95. This model also exhibited a remarkable sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 88.7%, 91.5%, 90.2%, 90.4%, and 90.0%, respectively. Our findings highlight the ability of ultrasound-based radiomics to detect abnormal placental features, demonstrating its potential for evaluating both normative and impaired placental function with high precision and reliability., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article.

Objective: Fetal venous system malformations frequently coincide with cardiac or extracardiac anomalies. This study explores our experience with an integrated fetal echocardiography approach and analyzes the characteristics and outcomes of fetal venous system disorders., Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study with 7048 pregnant women (7255 fetuses) who underwent complete two-dimensional (2D) fetal echocardiographic examinations. We primarily employed an integrated 2D approach. Three-/four-dimensional (3D/4D) spatiotemporal image correlation was supplemental. Fetal venous disorders were classified into 3 groups: cardinal (Group 1), umbilical and vitelline (Group 2), and pulmonary (Group 3) systems, based on embryological-anatomical considerations. Maternofetal data were recorded alongside imaging diagnoses., Results: Congenital venous malformations were identified in 98 fetuses, yielding a prevalence of 1.35% (98/7255). Six participants had coexisting venous disorders from different groups. Group 1 included 48 fetuses with persistent left superior vena cava (LSVC) and 3 others (unidentified brachiocephalic vein, left inferior vena cava (IVC), and interrupted IVC with azygous continuation to SVC). Group 2 had 39 fetuses with persistent right umbilical vein and 7 with umbilical-portal-ductus venosus disorders. Group 3 had 7 fetuses with pulmonary venous return disorders. Group 2 showed the most favorable outcomes (alive and without neonatal death), while Group 3 exhibited the poorest. Associated cardiac defects were observed in 43.1% of Group 1, 8.7% of Group 2, and 57.1% of Group 3 (P < 0.001), displaying a broad spectrum of non-specific anomalies. Meanwhile, Group 2 had a greater occurrence of a single venous disorder (93.5%) compared to Group 1 (88.2%) and Group 3 (57.1%) (P = 0.020)., Conclusion: Our approach offers an integrated strategy for assessing the fetal venous system during fetal echocardiography, providing multiple views to characterize venous anomalies. The presence of a fetal venous disorder may indicate the coexistence of more severe abnormalities, and the prognosis depends on associated anomalies or the venous disorders per se., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

This study presents the modified Cordes method, a novel ultrasonographic technique that provides a precise and practical evaluation of fetal situs during pregnancy, particularly in the first and early second trimesters. This method entails precisely aligning the probe and hand to obtain a clear image of the fetal thorax in the axial plane. The fundamental procedures involve ascertaining the initial location of the fetal head, rotating the probe, aligning the thorax at the center, and positioning the left hand to clearly identify the fetal situs. Tests conducted in many pregnancies have verified that the modified Cordes approach offers prompt and precise identification of fetal situs and is more accessible to acquire, particularly for new practitioners. The modified Cordes approach is a straightforward and reliable technique for establishing the position of the fetus. Its application during the first and early second trimesters improves diagnostic accuracy by minimizing the chances of misinterpretation. This method offers benefits by making the process of determining fetal situs more objective and straightforward for practitioners with varying degrees of experience., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

New technologies for detecting pregnancy shortly after mating/insemination and identifying gestational age are essential for speeding up the reproductive cycle and ensuring high reproductive efficiency in livestock farming. Ultrasonography can successfully identify pregnancy and determine gestational age in many domestic animals. On the other hand, many herds of camel and buffalo and flocks of sheep are aware of the day of service, making it difficult to appropriately manage pregnant animals. This study provides a review of the literature on various techniques for ultrasonographically diagnosing pregnancy in camels, buffaloes, and sheep, focusing on the most appropriate times to use each technique, the earliest opportunity to diagnose pregnancy, and the possibility of using various parts of the fetus to create mathematical equations to determine gestational age. Some limitations of ultrasonography in pregnancy diagnosis were identified and significant pregnancy events in dromedaries were discussed, including left-horn and twin pregnancies. The data presented here will prove essential for researchers, farmers, and countries that rely heavily on these animals for providing meat, milk, cosmetics, and other animal products to enhance reproduction and production efficiency., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The study conducted retrospective analysis design, aiming to explore the use of Microvascular Imaging Technique (MVFI) to assess fetal cerebral microcirculation and analyze the relationship between Microvascular Index (MVI) and fetal growth and development. 100 pregnant women who met the criteria for fetal growth restriction (FGR) provided in the Expert Consensus on Fetal Growth Restriction (2019 Edition) and underwent routine prenatal examinations at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Peking University Third Hospital from January 2021 to June 2023 were selected as the study subjects. A normal fetus with a fetal weight less than 10 % can be classified as FGR, Pregnant women with fetal umbilical artery (UA) systolic and diastolic (S/D) values ≥3 were included in the observation group, while 200 pregnant women with normal fetuses were selected as the control group during the same period. The fetuses' change in both groups were measured using color Doppler ultrasound, including bi-parietal diameter (BPD), head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC), and femur length (FL). The cerebral microcirculation of the fetuses in both groups was evaluated using MVFI, and the MVI values were compared. The clinical characteristics of FGR fetuses with umbilical artery S/D ratio ≥ 3 were summarized, and the correlation between fetal cerebral microvascular status and fetal growth and development was analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis. The outcomes told that the BPD, HC, AC, and FL values of the fetuses in the control group were lower the other's value (P < 0.05), and the MVI and peak systolic velocity of the middle cerebral artery (MCA-PSV) values were also lower in the control group (P < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between fetal growth and development and MVI and MCA-PSV values in FGR fetuses. In conclusion, MVFI can monitor and quantitatively analyze fetal intracranial microcirculation, visualize slow blood flow in microvascular structures, and this study provides preliminary evidence of the close relationship between fetal cerebral microcirculation and intrauterine growth and development., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: During human pregnancy, placental extravillous trophoblasts replace vascular smooth muscle and elastic tissue within the walls of the uterine spiral arteries, thereby remodeling them into distensible low-resistance vessels to promote placental perfusion. The present study determined whether B-flow/spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) M-mode ultrasonography provides an in-vivo imaging method able to digitally quantify spiral artery luminal distensibility as a physiological index of spiral artery remodeling during the advancing stages of normal human pregnancy., Methods: A prospective, longitudinal, observational study was conducted to quantify spiral artery distensibility (i.e. vessel luminal diameter at systole minus diameter at diastole) by B-flow/STIC M-mode ultrasonography during the first, second and third trimesters in 290 women exhibiting a normal pregnancy. Maternal serum levels of placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), growth factors that modulate important events in spiral artery remodeling, were quantified in a subset of the women in the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy., Results: Median (interquartile range (IQR)) spiral artery distensibility increased progressively between the first (0.17 (0.14-0.21) cm), second (0.23 (0.18-0.28) cm) and third (0.26 (0.21-0.35) cm) trimesters of pregnancy (P < 0.0001 for all). Median (IQR) spiral artery volume flow increased progressively between the first (2.49 (1.38-4.99) mL/cardiac cycle), second (3.86 (2.06-6.91) mL/cardiac cycle) and third (7.79 (3.83-14.98) mL/cardiac cycle) trimesters (P < 0.001 for all). In accordance with the elevation in spiral artery distensibility, the median (IQR) ratio of serum PlGF/sFlt-1 × 10 3 levels increased between the first (7.2 (4.5-10.0)), second (22.7 (18.6-42.2)) and third (56.2 (41.9-92.5)) trimesters (P < 0.001 for all)., Conclusions: The present study shows that B-flow/STIC M-mode ultrasonography provides an in-vivo imaging technology to quantify digitally the structural and physiological expansion of the walls of the spiral arteries during the cardiac cycle as a consequence of their transformation into compliant vessels during advancing stages of normal human pregnancy. © 2024 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology., (© 2024 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.)

Over the past decade, deep-learning (DL) algorithms have become a promising tool to aid clinicians in identifying fetal head standard planes (FHSPs) during ultrasound (US) examination. However, the adoption of these algorithms in clinical settings is still hindered by the lack of large annotated datasets. To overcome this barrier, we introduce FetalBrainAwareNet, an innovative framework designed to synthesize anatomically accurate images of FHSPs. FetalBrainAwareNet introduces a cutting-edge approach that utilizes class activation maps as a prior in its conditional adversarial training process. This approach fosters the presence of the specific anatomical landmarks in the synthesized images. Additionally, we investigate specialized regularization terms within the adversarial training loss function to control the morphology of the fetal skull and foster the differentiation between the standard planes, ensuring that the synthetic images faithfully represent real US scans in both structure and overall appearance. The versatility of our FetalBrainAwareNet framework is highlighted by its ability to generate high-quality images of three predominant FHSPs using a singular, integrated framework. Quantitative (Fréchet inception distance of 88.52) and qualitative (t-SNE) results suggest that our framework generates US images with greater variability compared to state-of-the-art methods. By using the synthetic images generated with our framework, we increase the accuracy of FHSP classifiers by 3.2% compared to training the same classifiers solely with real acquisitions. These achievements suggest that using our synthetic images to increase the training set could provide benefits to enhance the performance of DL algorithms for FHSPs classification that could be integrated in real clinical scenarios., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of late third-trimester sonographic estimation of large for gestational age fetuses on pregnancy management and selected fetal and maternal adverse outcomes., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a tertiary, university-affiliated medical center between 2015 and 2019. All singleton large-for-gestational-age neonates born during this period were included. The cohort was divided into two groups: neonates for whom fetal weight was estimated on late third trimester (<14 days before delivery) sonography and neonates with no recent fetal weight estimation. The groups were compared for pregnancy management strategies, rates of labor induction, cesarean deliveries, and maternal and neonatal outcomes., Results: A total of 1712 neonates were included in the study, among whom 791 (46.2%) had a late third-trimester fetal weight estimation (study group) and 921 (53.8%) did not (control group). Compared to the control group, the study group was characterized by higher rates of maternal primiparity (24.20% vs 19.20%, P = 0.013), higher maternal body mass index (26.0 ± 6.2 kg/m 2 vs 24.7 ± 4.5 kg/m 2 , P = 0.002), more inductions of labor (29.84% vs 16.40%, P < 0.001) and cesarean deliveries (31.0% vs 19.97%, P < 0.001). There were no clinical differences in neonatal birth weight (4041 ± 256 g vs 3984 264 g, P < 0.001) and no significant differences between other neonatal outcomes, as rates of admission to the neonatal intensive care unit, jaundice, hypoglycemia, and shoulder dystocia., Conclusion: Late third-trimester sonographic fetal weight estimation is associated with a higher rate of labor induction and planned and intrapartum cesarean deliveries. In this retrospective cohort study, those interventions did not lead to reduction in maternal or neonatal adverse outcomes., (© 2024 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.)

Objective: To examine the accuracy of sonographic fetal weight to predict birthweight in very preterm infants (<32 weeks), and to compare the accuracy of estimated fetal weight (EFW) between those small for gestational age (SGA) and those appropriate for gestational age (AGA)., Study Design: A retrospective study was conducted of data recorded between January 2010 and March 2023. Included were women with singleton livebirths at 23+0-31+6 weeks who had an EFW within one week from delivery. Mean percentage error, mean absolute percentage error, and underestimation and overestimation rates were calculated. We compared the accuracy of EFW between SGA and AGA infants., Results: In total, 360 women were included. The mean absolute percentage error was 7.8 % (range 0 %-68.9 %); for 207 (57.5 %) infants the percentage error was within ±10 %. Overestimation error >10 % was observed in 102 (28.3 %) infants and errors >20 % in 34 (9.4 %). Among infants born in the periviable period (23+0 - 25+6 weeks; N = 56), the mean absolute percentage error was 9.8 % (range: 0 %-40.3 %); the value was within ±10 % for only 28 periviable infants (50 %) and exceeded 20 % for 16.1 %. Among SGA compared to AGA infants, the mean absolute percentage error was higher (11.1% vs. 6.6 %, p = 0.035). Overestimation error >10 % was more frequent among SGA than AGA infants (55 (49.1 %) vs. 47 (19.0 %), p < 0.001). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, SGA status was independently associated with a higher mean percentage error (beta = 0.260, p < 0.001) and an increased risk of an error >10 % (odds ratio = 2.1, 95 % confidence interval 1.2-3.5, p = 0.008)., Conclusions: Sonographic EFW is limited in assessing very preterm infants, particularly those who are SGA or born during the periviable period. These limitations should be considered regarding impending very preterm births and concerns about abnormal fetal growth., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this work, (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The fetus's health is evaluated with the biometric parameters obtained from the low-resolution ultrasound images. The accuracy of biometric parameters in existing protocols typically depends on conventional image processing approaches and hence, is prone to error. This study introduces the Attention Gate Double U-Net with Guided Decoder (ADU-GD) model specifically crafted for fetal biometric parameter prediction. The attention network and guided decoder are specifically designed to dynamically merge local features with their global dependencies, enhancing the precision of parameter estimation. The ADU-GD displays superior performance with Mean Absolute Error of 0.99 mm and segmentation accuracy of 99.1 % when benchmarked against the well-established models. The proposed model consistently achieved a high Dice index score of about 99.1 ± 0.8, with a minimal Hausdorff distance of about 1.01 ± 1.07 and a low Average Symmetric Surface Distance of about 0.25 ± 0.21, demonstrating the model's excellence. In a comprehensive evaluation, ADU-GD emerged as a frontrunner, outperforming existing deep-learning models such as Double U-Net, DeepLabv3, FCN-32s, PSPNet, SegNet, Trans U-Net, Swin U-Net, Mask-R2CNN, and RDHCformer models in terms of Mean Absolute Error for crucial fetal dimensions, including Head Circumference, Abdomen Circumference, Femur Length, and BiParietal Diameter. It achieved superior accuracy with MAE values of 2.2 mm, 2.6 mm, 0.6 mm, and 1.2 mm, respectively., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The great artery relationship in transposition of great arteries (TGA) is based on the degree of resorption and growth of subsemilunar conus. In transposition of great arteries, the spatial relationship of the great arteries can be variable. Commonly, the aorta will be related right and anterior to pulmonary artery (D-TGA). Less commonly, the aorta can be related left and anterior (SDL-TGA), side-by-side, and antero-posterior to pulmonary artery. Four fetuses with concordant atrioventricular and discordant ventriculoarterial connection with various great arteries relationship were presented in this imaging essay., (© 2024 American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.)

Objectives: To develop a semi-automated tool for measuring fetal abdominal wall thickness (AWT). To validate the software using images captured by other centers and create a nomogram for fetal AWT between 18 and 20 weeks., Methods: A semiautomated tool that measured AWT was developed using images captured at the routine 20-week morphology scan. The software was developed using digital images captured routinely during scans of low-risk women. Inter- and intraobserver reliability was assessed between manual and semi-automated measures. The tool was validated using images acquired from other centers. Linear regression and quadratic polynomials were used to create a nomogram for AWT., Results: The semi-automated tool was able to measure AWT in all images. Interoperator reliability was 0.90 and 0.97 (P < 0.05) for manual and semi-automated methods, respectively. Measurement agreement varied between three operators from moderate to excellent (0.77, 0.87, 0.92), with overall agreement being good (0.85). The tool could be successfully applied to 89% of images from other centers. A nomogram was generated for AWT measurements of fetuses at 18-20 weeks in normal, low risk mothers., Conclusion: Semi-automated measurement of AWT was feasible using images captured during the routine 20-week scan. This approach had lower inter- and intraobserver variability compared to manual measurement., (© 2024 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.)

Objectives: To assess first-trimester prognosis when an early pregnancy sonogram demonstrates a normal embryonic heart rate and to determine how a number of risk factors affect prognosis., Methods: Our study population consisted of 6597 first-trimester scans with gestational age (GA) ≤ 7.0 weeks (all with crown-rump length [CRL] <10 mm), normal embryonic heart, and known first-trimester outcome. We recorded GA; CRL; heart rate; first-trimester outcome; maternal age; presence, absence, and size of subchorionic hematoma; presence or absence of vaginal bleeding; and presence, absence, and size of uterine fibroids. We assessed first-trimester outcome in the study population and subsets based on the above data., Results: First-trimester outcome was successful in 6030 of the 6597 cases (91.4%). The prognosis was somewhat worse with each of the following risk factors: maternal age ≥35 years, large subchorionic hematoma, and large or multiple uterine fibroids (P < .02, chi-squared or Cochran's test for trend, for all of these items). The rate of successful outcome was in the range of 83-88% with each of these risk factors and 93.8% in the absence of any of these factors., Conclusions: The presence of a normal embryonic heart rate on an early first-trimester sonogram is a reassuring finding, indicating a likelihood of good first-trimester outcome of at least 83% even in the presence of risk factors, and of over 90% in the absence of such factors., (© 2024 American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.)

We describe two cases of umbilical cord (UC) angiomyxoma diagnosed prenatally by sonography in the second trimester of pregnancy. In both cases, a complex mass was detected at the placental insertion site, characterized by an echoic nodule surrounding the umbilical vessels and distal edematous Wharton's jelly. Follow-up scans showed that the mass grew mainly at the expense of its edematous component, with normal uteroplacental Dopplers throughout the remaining of the pregnancy. However, late-onset fetal growth restriction complicated the progress of pregnancy, requiring delivery by Cesarean section at 37 weeks' gestation in both cases. Neonatal courses were unremarkable. An extensive review of the English literature was also performed, collecting 45 similar cases including ours. Our experience as well as the review of the literature confirms that UC angiomyxoma is an uncommon, sporadic condition that is usually detected incidentally during prenatal sonography and presents as an isolated finding. Nevertheless, it represents a high-risk condition for pregnancy complications including prematurity, fetal growth restriction, and fetal demise., (© 2024 American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.)

The syndrome of anterior fibroneural stalk, vertebral anomaly, enteric duplication cyst, and diaphragmatic hernia is a manifestation of abnormal notochordal development due to persistence of the neurenteric canal beyond early fetal gestational age. Our description of the third such published case to date supports this novel tetralogy and further illustrates the role of both pre- and postnatal imaging in achieving the diagnosis., (© 2024. Crown.)

Purpose: To evaluate the possible outcomes of fetuses diagnosed with short femur length (FL) and to guide diagnosis through a step-wise imaging algorithm., Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of 42 pregnancies with fetal femur length (FL) below the 5th centile for gestational age. The cases were divided into two categories of isolated short FL & non-isolated short FL and followed up to determine the etiology., Results: There were 11 cases of non-isolated short FL with skeletal dysplasia observed in 7 and chromosomal abnormalities in 4 cases. There were 31 cases with isolated short FL in which fetal growth restriction (FGR) occurred in 14/31 (45%) cases; 13 out of 31 (42%) were constitutional (short for gestational age, SGA) whereas 4/31(13%) showed normal interval growth on follow up (false positive)., Conclusion: Short femur can be isolated or non-isolated. Short femur length can be a good predictor and early sign of FGR. Serial follow up scan of the all cases of isolated short FL is important since a majority of them are normal and not require any further intervention. Cases of non-isolated short FL require step-wise approach to differentiate into dysplasia or aneuploidy., (© 2023. Società Italiana di Ultrasonologia in Medicina e Biologia (SIUMB).)

Antenatal screening with ultrasound identifies fetal structural anomalies in 3-6% of pregnancies. Identification of anomalies during pregnancy provides an opportunity for counselling, targeted imaging, genetic testing, fetal intervention and delivery planning. Ultrasound is the primary modality for imaging the fetus in pregnancy, but magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is evolving as an adjunctive tool providing additional structural and functional information. Screening should start from the first trimester when more than 50% of severe defects can be detected. The mid-trimester ultrasound balances the benefits of increased fetal growth and development to improve detection rates, whilst still providing timely management options. A routine third trimester ultrasound may detect acquired anomalies or those missed earlier in pregnancy but may not be available in all settings. Targeted imaging by fetal medicine experts improves detection in high-risk pregnancies or when an anomaly has been detected, allowing accurate phenotyping, access to advanced genetic testing and expert counselling., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Our systematic review highlights that multiparametric PAI score assessment is a consistent tool with high sensitivity and specificity for prenatal prediction for placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) in high-risk population with anterior placenta previa or low-lying placenta and prior cesarean deliveries. A systematic search was conducted on November 1, 2022, of MEDLINE via PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar to identify relevant studies (PROSPERO ID # CRD42022368211). A total of 11 articles met our inclusion criteria, representing the data of a total of 1,044 cases. Women with PAS had an increased mean PAI total score, compared to those without PAS. Limitations of the PAI are most studies were conducted in developing countries in high-risk population which limit the global generalizability of findings. Heterogeneity of reported data did not allow to perform meta-analysis., (© 2024 American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.)

Background: This study aimed to update systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the diagnostic accuracy of postnatal clinical scoring (PCS) methods and foot length (FL) measurement for assessing gestational age (GA) and birth weight in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). In addition, the quality of reference standards, including antenatal ultrasound (A-US), last menstrual period (LMP), PCS and newborn weighing scales, was also evaluated., Methods: Studies from LMICs published between January 2000 and February 2024 were searched, using databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Scopus. Studies that compared PCS and/or FL with LMP and/or A-US to estimate GA or used calibrated newborn weighing scales for birthweight estimation were included. The risk of bias was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-II tool and evaluated the quality of the reference standards. When sufficient data were available, pooled estimates were calculated using random-effects models., Results: A total of 50 studies were included. A-US was a reasonable tool for GA assessment if conducted by physicians using fetal biometry and the Hadlock method for GA estimation. LMP was reasonable when women had regular cycles, knew their LMP, were not using contraceptives and LMP data were collected by healthcare providers. When A-US was used as the reference standard, PCS methods estimated GA with a precision of ±2.8 to ±3.2 weeks. FL measurement <7.5 cm showed a pooled sensitivity of 76.2% and specificity of 36.6% for identifying preterm birth. FL measurement ≤7.6 cm had a pooled sensitivity of 78.6% and specificity of 65.7% for identifying low birth weight (LBW). High heterogeneity across studies was observed., Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis highlights significant variability and methodological inconsistencies in using PCS methods and FL measurement for estimating GA and LBW in LMICs. The observed high heterogeneity across studies suggests a cautious interpretation of the results., Prospero Registration Number: CRD42020209455., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Uteroplacental insufficiency in fetuses with growth restriction (FGR) leads to chronic hypoxia and stress, predominantly affecting the adrenal glands. However, the mechanisms of impact remain unclear. Objectives: This study is aimed at comparing the Doppler indices of the adrenal artery and the adrenal gland sizes between FGR and those with normal growth. Materials and Methods: A multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted from February to December 2023. We compared 34 FGR to 34 with normal growth in terms of inferior adrenal artery (IAA) Doppler indices and adrenal gland volumes. Results: The IAA peak systolic velocity (PSV) in the FGR group was 14.9 ± 2.9 cm/s compared to 13.5 ± 2.0 cm/s in the normal group, with a mean difference of 1.4 cm/s (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.27-2.65; p value = 0.017). There were no significant differences between groups in terms of IAA pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI), or systolic/diastolic (S/D), with p values of 0.438, 0.441, and 0.658, respectively. The volumes of the corrected whole adrenal gland and the corrected neocortex were significantly larger in the FGR group, with p values of 0.031 and 0.020, respectively. Conclusion: Both increased IAA PSV and enlarged volumes of the corrected whole adrenal gland and neocortex were found in fetuses with FGR, suggesting significant adrenal gland adaptation in response to chronic intrauterine stress., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Suphawan Pattamathamakul et al.)

Objective: To investigate the value of magnetic resonance examination technique for prenatal genetic diagnosis and clinical intrauterine treatment of fetal congenital cystic adenoma (CCAM) of the lung., Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 108 pregnant women admitted to a certain hospital from January 2016 to January 2022 for pre natal examination and consultation on eugenics. The selected pregnant women were aged 20-40 and had a gestational age of 17-36 weeks. Ultrasound and MRI examinations were performed on 108 pregnant women who met the inclusion criteria. Follow-up and investigation were conducted on the fetus after being diagnosed with CCAM. To analyze the results of prenatal genetic diagnosis, chromosome microarray analysis (CMA) was used to analyze samples with pathogenic Copy Number Variants (CNV) and identify pathogenic genes. Finally, the imaging diagnosis results obtained through statistical software were analyzed, and the correlation between pathogenic genes and CCAM, as well as the clinical application value of MRI in fetal intrauterine treatment was explored., Results: Among all cases, 68 fetuses were diagnosed with CCAM through ultrasound examination; 71 fetuses were diagnosed with CCAM through MRI examination. A total of 74 samples were confirmed as CCAM by autopsy and neonatal CT. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of MRI in diagnosing fetal congenital CCAM were higher than those of ultrasound examination. The expression of CCAM was positively correlated with DUSP22, PRSS1, and SHOX, with all R values greater than 0.8. The clinical decision curve showed that when the probability of fetal CCAM was less than 0.03, the prenatal genetic diagnostic model of MRI was not applicable; But when the probability of fetal CCAM was higher than 0.05, the auxiliary intrauterine treatment effect that MRI diagnostic methods achieved was significantly better than conventional diagnosis., Conclusion: MRI is significantly better than ultrasound in the diagnosis of CCAM, which can effectively improve the sensitivity of diagnosis and provide accurate information for the eugenics of pregnant women, and has high clinical application value., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Importance: Accurate assessment of gestational age (GA) is essential to good pregnancy care but often requires ultrasonography, which may not be available in low-resource settings. This study developed a deep learning artificial intelligence (AI) model to estimate GA from blind ultrasonography sweeps and incorporated it into the software of a low-cost, battery-powered device., Objective: To evaluate GA estimation accuracy of an AI-enabled ultrasonography tool when used by novice users with no prior training in sonography., Design, Setting, and Participants: This prospective diagnostic accuracy study enrolled 400 individuals with viable, single, nonanomalous, first-trimester pregnancies in Lusaka, Zambia, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Credentialed sonographers established the "ground truth" GA via transvaginal crown-rump length measurement. At random follow-up visits throughout gestation, including a primary evaluation window from 14 0/7 weeks' to 27 6/7 weeks' gestation, novice users obtained blind sweeps of the maternal abdomen using the AI-enabled device (index test) and credentialed sonographers performed fetal biometry with a high-specification machine (study standard)., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the mean absolute error (MAE) of the index test and study standard, which was calculated by comparing each method's estimate to the previously established GA and considered equivalent if the difference fell within a prespecified margin of ±2 days., Results: In the primary evaluation window, the AI-enabled device met criteria for equivalence to the study standard, with an MAE (SE) of 3.2 (0.1) days vs 3.0 (0.1) days (difference, 0.2 days [95% CI, -0.1 to 0.5]). Additionally, the percentage of assessments within 7 days of the ground truth GA was comparable (90.7% for the index test vs 92.5% for the study standard). Performance was consistent in prespecified subgroups, including the Zambia and North Carolina cohorts and those with high body mass index., Conclusions and Relevance: Between 14 and 27 weeks' gestation, novice users with no prior training in ultrasonography estimated GA as accurately with the low-cost, point-of-care AI tool as credentialed sonographers performing standard biometry on high-specification machines. These findings have immediate implications for obstetrical care in low-resource settings, advancing the World Health Organization goal of ultrasonography estimation of GA for all pregnant people., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05433519.

Abstract: This study aimed to explore the feasibility of using the ultrasound quantitative scoring system to guide the selection of surgical methods for a cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy (CSEP). A retrospective analysis was conducted of the medical records of 117 cases of patients with a CSEP. All patients underwent transvaginal ultrasound examination before treatment, and the ultrasound results were compared with the results of surgical exploration. The treatment methods that were delivered for the 2 patient groups with CSEP were analyzed, and agreement between the predicted and actual treatment protocols was tested using the kappa consistency test. Residual myometrial thickness at the scar site was mainly concentrated above 3 mm in the low-risk group, with 70 cases accounting for 76.9%, while in the high-risk group, this was primarily in the range of 1-3 mm with 18 cases accounting for 69.2%. The grading of nourishing blood supply to the gestational sac showed that 96.7% of patients in the low-risk group had Grade I and Grade II blood flow, while 84.6% of the high-risk group had Grade I and Grade II blood flow; Grade II blood flow was predominant in the high-risk group. The majority of patients in both the low- and high-risk groups experienced intraoperative blood loss of ≤50 mL (93.9% vs 80.6%, respectively). The consistency test between the actual and predicted treatment methods yielded a kappa coefficient of 0.644, indicating consistency between the two. For patients with CSEP in the low-risk group (score <4), the ultrasound quantitative scoring system could provide individualized assessment and offer clinically valuable treatment protocols., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of real-time shear wave elastography (SWE) for spontaneous preterm birth (SPB). This study prospectively selected 175 women with singleton pregnancies at 16 to 36 weeks of gestation. Cervical length (CL) and uterocervical angle (UCA) were measured using transvaginal ultrasonography. Real-time shear wave elastography was used to measure Young's modulus values, including the average Young's modulus (Emean) and the maximum Young's modulus (Emax) at 4 points: point A on the inner lip of the cervical os, point B on the outer lip of the cervical os, point C on the inner lip of the external os, and point D on the outer lip of the external os. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to compare the accuracy of Young's modulus values at the 4 points, CL, and UCA in predicting SPB. Significant variables were used to construct a binary logistic regression model to predict the multifactorial predictive value of SPB, which was evaluated using an ROC curve. A total 176 valid cases, including 160 full-term pregnancies and 16 SPB, were included in this study. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that Emean at point A, as well as Emean and Emax at point D, had a relatively high accuracy in diagnosing SPB, with area under the curve values of 0.704, 0.708, and 0.706, respectively followed by CL (0.670), SWE at point C (Emean 0.615, Emax 0.565), SWE at point B (Emean 0.577, Emax 0.584), and UCA (0.476). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that comorbidities during pregnancy (including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cholestasis and thyroid dysfunction), CL, and Emean at point A were independent predictors of preterm birth. In addition, the AUC value of the logistic regression model's ROC curve was 0.892 (95% CI: 0.804-0.981), with a sensitivity of 0.867, specificity of 0.792, and Youden's index of 0.659, indicating that the regression model has good predictive ability for SPB. Real-time shear wave elastography showed a higher predictive value for SPB than CL and UCA. The SWE combined with CL and comorbidities during pregnancy model has a good predictive ability for SPB., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Orofacial clefts are one of the most common congenital malformations of the fetal face and ultrasound is mainly responsible for its diagnosis. It is difficult to view the fetal palate, so there is currently no unified standard for fetal palate screening, and the diagnosis of cleft palate is not included in the relevant prenatal ultrasound screening guidelines. Many prenatal diagnoses for cleft palate are missed due to the lack of effective screening methods. Therefore, it is imperative to increase the display rate of the fetal palate, which would improve the detection rate and diagnostic accuracy for cleft palate. We aim to introduce a fetal palate screening software based on the "sequential sector scan though the oral fissure", an effective method for fetal palate screening which was verified by our follow up results and three-dimensional ultrasound and to evaluate its feasibility and clinical practicability., Methods: A software was designed and programmed based on "sequential sector scan through the oral fissure" and three-dimensional ultrasound. The three-dimensional ultrasound volume data of the fetal face were imported into the software. Then, the median sagittal plane was taken as the reference interface, the anterior upper margin of the mandibular alveolar bone was selected as the fulcrum, the interval angles, and the number of layers of the sector scan were set, after which the automatic scan was performed. Thus, the sector scan sequential planes of the mandibular alveolar bone, pharynx, soft palate, hard palate, and maxillary alveolar bone were obtained in sequence to display and evaluate the palate. In addition, the feasibility and accuracy of the software in fetal palate displaying and screening was evaluated by actual clinical cases., Results: Full views of the normal fetal palates and the defective parts of the cleft palates were displayed, and relatively clear sequential tomographic images and continuous dynamic videos were formed after the three-dimensional volume data of 10 normal fetal palates and 10 cleft palates were imported into the software., Conclusions: The software can display fetal palates more directly which might allow for a new method of fetal palate screening and cleft palate diagnosis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

To study a new method for establishing animal models of prenatal bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), we used lung ultrasound score (LUS) to semi-quantitatively assess the severity of lung lesions in model rats. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was injected into the right lung of the fetus of the rat under ultrasound-guided, and the right lung of the neonates were scanning for LUS. Specimens were collected for pathological scoring and detection of pulmonary surfactant-associated glycoprotein (SP)-C and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression quantity. The correlation between LUS and pathological scores was analyzed. (1) The animal models were consistent with the pathological manifestations of BPD. (2) It showed a strong positive correlation between LUS and pathological scores in animal models (r = 0.84, P < 0.005), and the expression quantity of SP-C and VEGF in lung tissue were decreased (both P < 0.05). Animal models established by ultrasound-guided puncture of the lung of rats and injection of LPS were consistent with the manifestation of BPD. This method could be used to establish animal models of BPD before birth, and the severity of BPD could be assessed by using LUS., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Importance: The identification of the cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) is an integral part of the routine second trimester fetal anatomy scan. The absence or nonvisualization of the CSP has significant clinical implications and requires further evaluation and counseling for the pregnant patient., Objective: The aim of this review is to review the importance of accurate sonographic identification of the CSP and the underlying pathologies that can be associated with nonvisualization of this structure., Evidence Acquisition: A literature review was performed with PubMed using key words including CSP, fetal anatomy ultrasound, and fetal anomalies., Results: The absence of the CSP is associated with several central nervous system pathologies, all with a wide range of phenotypic outcomes, ranging from normal to very severe or lethal., Relevance: Most obstetrician-gynecologists will have a patient in whom a CSP is not identified on fetal ultrasound. Thus, it is imperative to have a general understanding of this relatively common entity.

Objective: To evaluate the vascular impedance of the pulmonary arteries in fetuses with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) by Doppler echocardiography., Methods: A total of 42 fetuses with TOF (TOF group) and 84 gestational age-matched normal fetuses (control group) were prospectively collected from the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from August 2022 to January 2023. The severity of TOF was classified into mild TOF (z score ≥-2), moderate TOF (-4 < z score < -2), or severe TOF (z score ≤-4) according to the z score value of the pulmonary annulus diameter. The pulsatility index (PI) of the main pulmonary artery (MPA), distal left pulmonary artery (DLPA), and distal right pulmonary artery (DRPA) were measured by pulsed-wave Doppler. The differences in clinical data and echocardiographic parameters between TOF group, control group, and TOF subgroups were compared., Results: Compared with the control group, MPA-PI increased significantly, whereas DLPA-PI and DRPA-PI decreased in TOF group (all P < .001). There were no significant differences in MPA-PI and DRPA-PI among mild TOF, moderate TOF, and severe TOF (all P > .05). However, DLPA-PI decreased significantly in severe TOF compared with mild TOF (P < .05)., Conclusion: Fetuses with TOF presented increased vascular impedance in the pulmonary trunk and decreased impedance in distal pulmonary artery branches. Further large and follow-up studies are needed to demonstrate the associations between those changed vascular impedances and the development of PA in patients with TOF., (© 2024 American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.)

Introduction: Classic bladder exstrophy (CBE) is a malformation of the genitourinary system that occurs due to failure of abdominal wall closure. Unlike other malformations of similar incidence, prenatal diagnosis of CBE relies on suggested, rather than formal, diagnostic criteria., Objective: This report describes prenatal diagnosis of CBE in the largest single-institutional cohort to date and delineates key sonographic findings and protocols for specialist referral., Materials and Methods: A single-institutional database was reviewed for CBE patients born since 2000. Data on screening ultrasound use, gestational age at ultrasound, and abnormal findings were extracted. Where possible, time of prenatal diagnosis (pre- or postnatal and gestational age), ultrasound findings and other imaging data, specialist referral, institution of birth and closure, and outcome of primary closure attempt were compared., Results: Of 557 patients born with CBE between 2000 and 2022, 284 met inclusion criteria and complete data were available for 280 (229 born domestically and 51 born internationally) who were included for analysis. Abnormal sonography suggestive of CBE was present for 48% (n = 134) of patients, for whom absent bladder was the most common abnormal finding (76% [102/134]). Of domestic patients, 46% (n = 106) were diagnosed prenatally at a median gestational age of 22 weeks (inter-quartile range [IQR]: 20-24), and 14% (n = 32) underwent confirmatory fetal magnetic resonance imaging. Of domestic patients with abnormal prenatal findings, 75% (n = 80/106) consulted with maternal-fetal medicine and 58% (n = 62/106) consulted with pediatric urology. On univariate analysis, prenatal diagnosis was positively associated with primary repair at Association for the Bladder Exstrophy Community-recognized centers of excellence (54% vs. 38%, p = 0.02) and negatively associated with osteotomy at primary closure (41% vs 59%, p = 0.003) but not success of primary closure (74% vs. 82%, p = 0.07)., Discussion: Rates of prenatal diagnosis in this cohort were similar to previous reports of smaller cohorts. Diagnosis allows for comprehensive pre- and postnatal follow-up with a pediatric urologist, with implications on birth planning and decisions on termination of pregnancy. Because of the previously-reported association between exstrophy and in vitro fertilization, these pregnancies should undergo detailed sonography. Any nonvisualization of the fetal bladder should prompt a detailed exam, and any finding characteristic of bladder exstrophy warrants referral to pediatric urology., Conclusions: Although CBE is a rare disorder, it is underdiagnosed during pregnancy. Sonographers and obstetricians should be aware of characteristic findings and best practices following diagnosis. Early referral to pediatric urology and maternal-fetal medicine is important for counseling and postnatal planning., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None of the authors have a direct or indirect commercial financial incentive associated with the publication of this article, and the manuscript is not under consideration elsewhere., (Copyright © 2024 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Monochorionic twins are at risk for complications due to the presence of placental vascular anastomoses, including twin-twin transfusion syndrome, twin anemia-polycythemia sequence, selective fetal growth restriction, and twin reversed arterial perfusion sequence. While ultrasound is the primary modality to screen for the development of these complications, MRI plays an important role in assessing monochorionic twin pregnancies for the development of other complications, such as neurologic injury. In this article, the authors review the ultrasound imaging findings associated with monochorionic twin complications, management options, and the role for MRI in these pregnancies., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Skeletal dysplasias (SDs) are a diverse group of genetic disorders. Diagnosis can be difficult as many are rare and with varied presentations, but with knowledge of the most common SDs presenting prenatal and with an algorithm that uses both sonographic and MR imaging techniques, directed genetic testing and counseling can be provided for many families., Competing Interests: Disclosure The author has nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To determine whether the new classification system published by Jordans et al for cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) can guide management and treatment outcomes., Methods: A retrospective study of women diagnosed with CSP from October 2010 to December 2022 in a single tertiary center was performed. Sonographic records of these women were classified into three types according to the classification published by Jordans et al. Treatment outcomes were compared across each type of CSP., Results: The study included a total of 84 women, where 60 (71.4%), 17 (20.2%), and 7 (8.3%) of them were categorized into Type 1, 2, and 3 CSP, respectively. A total of 47 (55.9%) women were managed with methotrexate, 22 (26.2%) underwent surgical management of the CSP without removal of the Cesarean section (CS) niche, and 11 (13.1%) underwent surgery to remove the CSP and the CS niche. Overall treatment success rates for medical management and surgical management were 70 and 97%, respectively. Four women were managed expectantly and continued their pregnancies, among which three carried beyond 34 weeks and had good neonatal outcomes., Conclusions: The classification as published by Jordans et al is easily replicable and readily implemented clinically. Our findings show that a higher proportion of Type 1 and Type 2 CSP were treated successfully by a less invasive medical approach with a high success rate, whereas most Type 3 CSP required surgical resection to successfully remove the CSP and the CS niche. Prospective studies are required to confirm these findings and further validate the clinical utility of this nomenclature system., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.)

Accurate segmentation of the fetal head and pubic symphysis in intrapartum ultrasound images and measurement of fetal angle of progression (AoP) are critical to both outcome prediction and complication prevention in delivery. However, due to poor quality of perinatal ultrasound imaging with blurred target boundaries and the relatively small target of the public symphysis, fully automated and accurate segmentation remains challenging. In this paper, we propse a dual-path boundary-guided residual network (DBRN), which is a novel approach to tackle these challenges. The model contains a multi-scale weighted module (MWM) to gather global context information, and enhance the feature response within the target region by weighting the feature map. The model also incorporates an enhanced boundary module (EBM) to obtain more precise boundary information. Furthermore, the model introduces a boundary-guided dual-attention residual module (BDRM) for residual learning. BDRM leverages boundary information as prior knowledge and employs spatial attention to simultaneously focus on background and foreground information, in order to capture concealed details and improve segmentation accuracy. Extensive comparative experiments have been conducted on three datasets. The proposed method achieves average Dice score of 0.908 ±0.05 and average Hausdorff distance of 3.396 ±0.66 mm. Compared with state-of-the-art competitors, the proposed DBRN achieves better results. In addition, the average difference between the automatic measurement of AoPs based on this model and the manual measurement results is 6.157 ° , which has good consistency and has broad application prospects in clinical practice.

This review covers the embryology, definition, and diagnosis of open spinal dysraphism with a focus on fetal ultrasound and MR imaging findings. Differentiating open versus closed spinal dysraphic defects on fetal imaging will also be discussed. Current fetal surgery practices and imaging findings in the context of fetal surgery are also reviewed., Competing Interests: Disclosure Elsevier Inc., Author with Royalties (Usha Nagaraj)., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Competing Interests: None.

Objective: Clinical-sonographic scoring systems combining clinical features and ultrasound imaging markers have been proposed for the screening of placenta accreta spectrum, but their usefulness in different settings remains limited. This study aimed to assess and compare different clinical-sonographic score systems applied from mid-pregnancy for the prenatal evaluation of patients at risk of placenta accreta spectrum at birth., Data Sources: PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Embase were searched between October 1982 and October 2022 to identify eligible studies., Study Eligibility Criteria: Observational studies providing data on the use of a combined clinical-ultrasound score system applied from mid-pregnancy for the prenatal evaluation of placenta accreta spectrum were included., Methods: Study characteristics were evaluated by 2 independent reviewers using a predesigned protocol registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022332486). Heterogeneity among studies was analyzed with Cochran's Q-test and I 2 statistics. Statistical heterogeneity was quantified by estimating the variance between the studies using I 2 statistics. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of each score and their summary receiver operating characteristic curves were calculated with sensitivity and specificity, and the integrated score of the summaries of the receiver operating characteristic curves of all sonographic markers was calculated. Forest plots were used to develop the meta-analysis of each sonographic marker and for the integrated sonographic score., Results: Of 1028 articles reviewed, 12 cohorts and 2 case-control studies including 1630 patients screened for placenta accreta spectrum by clinical-ultrasound scores met the eligibility criteria. A diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum was reported in 602 (36.9%) cases, for which 547 (90.9%) intraoperative findings and/or histopathologic data were described. A wide variation was observed among the studies in reported sensitivities and specificities and in thresholds used for the identification of patients with a high probability of placenta accreta spectrum at birth. The summaries of the areas under the curve of the individual sonographic scores ranged from 0.85 (the lowest) for subplacental hypervascularity to 0.91 for placental location in the lower uterine segment, myometrial thinning, and placental lacunae and 0.95 for the loss of clear zone. Only 4 studies included placental bulging in their sonographic score system, and therefore no meta-analysis for this score was performed. The integrated summary of the areas under the curve was 0.83 (95% confidence interval, 79-0.86). Forest plot analysis revealed integrated sensitivities and specificities of 0.68 (95% confidence interval, 0.53-0.80) and 0.88 (95% confidence interval, 0.68-0.96), respectively., Conclusion: Clinical-sonographic score systems can contribute to the prenatal screening of patients at risk of placenta accreta spectrum at birth. Although we included multiple sonographic studies conducted during the mid-pregnancy period, standardized evaluation should be performed not only with strict ultrasound criteria for the placental position, mid third trimester gestational age at examination, and sonographic markers associated with PAS. Numeric sensitivities, specificities, NPVs, PPV, LR-, and LR+ should be recorded prospectively to assess their accuracy in different set-ups and PTP should be verified at delivery. The variables recommended for most predictive screening are: loss of clear zone underneath the placental bed, placentation in the LUS, and placenta lacunae., (Crown Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: While the association between uterine fibroids and preterm birth is well known, data regarding whether fibroid characteristics such as number and size modify such risk are limited., Objective: To evaluate the association between fibroid number and size and risk of preterm birth and determine whether these characteristics impact the severity of preterm birth., Study Design: Multicenter retrospective cross-sectional study including all patients with singleton gestations who had at least one prenatal ultrasound at 18 0/7 weeks of gestation or later and delivered within a large university health system from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2022. When fibroids were identified on ultrasound, their characteristics (i.e., number, size, and location) were documented. Patients with more than one delivery during the study period had only their first included for analysis. The primary outcome of preterm birth, stratified by gestational age (<37, <34, <32, and <28 weeks), was assessed based on fibroid number (1, 2, ≥3) and size (largest dimension <5 cm, 5-10 cm, >10 cm) separately in patients who had prenatally detected fibroids compared to those with no fibroids. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to adjust for potential confounders. Data were presented as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI)., Results: Among the 65,950 patients studied, 4,421 (6.7%) had at least one fibroid. The prevalence of preterm birth <37 weeks was 8.6%. The presence of any fibroid, regardless of number, was associated with an increased risk of preterm birth <37 weeks compared to no fibroids (1 fibroid: 12.8% vs. 8.2%, aOR 1.26, 95% CI 1.10-1.44; 2 fibroids: 12.7% vs. 8.2%, aOR 1.27, 95% CI 1.01-1.58; ≥3 fibroids: 18.5% vs. 8.2%, aOR 1.60, 95% CI 1.29-1.99). Patients with 2 fibroids were at increased risk of preterm birth <34, <32, and <28 weeks compared to those without fibroids, while patients with ≥3 fibroids were at increased risk of preterm birth <34 and <28 weeks compared to those without fibroids. The presence of at least one fibroid, regardless of the size of their largest dimension, was associated with an increased risk of preterm birth <37 weeks compared to no fibroids (<5 cm: 12.4% vs. 8.2%, aOR 1.19, 95% CI 1.04-1.36; 5-10 cm: 15.5% vs. 8.2%, aOR 1.47, 95% CI 1.23-1.75; >10 cm: 21.4% vs. 8.2%, aOR 2.26, 95% CI 1.55-3.28). Increasing fibroid size by largest dimension was associated with an increased risk of preterm birth <34 weeks. Patients with fibroids >10 cm by largest dimension were at increased risk of preterm birth <28 weeks compared to those without fibroids. There was no association between increasing fibroid size by largest dimension and preterm birth <32 weeks., Conclusions: Data from this large cohort suggest that fibroid characteristics such as number and size are associated with preterm birth and impact the severity of preterm birth. Increasing fibroid number and size is associated with a higher risk of earlier preterm birth compared to those without fibroids., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Well-established clinical practice for assessing progress in labor involves routine abdominal palpation and vaginal examination (VE). However, VE is subjective, poorly reproducible and painful for most women. In this study, our aim was to evaluate the feasibility of systematically integrating transabdominal and transperineal ultrasound assessment of fetal position, parasagittal angle of progression (psAOP), head-perineum distance (HPD) and sonographic cervical dilatation (SCD) to monitor the progress of labor in women undergoing induction of labor (IOL). We also aimed to determine if ultrasound can reduce women's pain during such examinations., Methods: Women were recruited as they presented for IOL in three maternity units. Ultrasound assessments were performed in 100 women between 37 + 0 and 41 + 6 weeks' gestation. A baseline combined transabdominal and transperineal scan was performed, including assessment of fetal biometry, umbilical artery and fetal middle cerebral artery Doppler, amniotic fluid index, fetal spine and occiput positions, psAOP, HPD, SCD and cervical length. Intrapartum scans were performed instead of VE, unless there was a clinical indication to perform a VE, according to protocol. Participants were asked to indicate their level of pain by verbally giving a pain score between 0 and 10 (with 0 representing no pain) during assessment. Repeated measures data were analyzed using mixed-effect models to identify significant factors that affected the relationship between psAOP, HPD, SCD and mode of delivery., Results: A total of 100 women were included in the study. Of these, 20% delivered by Cesarean section, 65% vaginally and 15% by instrumental delivery. There were no adverse fetal or maternal outcomes. A total of 223 intrapartum ultrasound scans were performed in 87 participants (13 women delivered before intrapartum ultrasound was performed), with a median of two scans per participant (interquartile range (IQR), 1-3). Of these, 76 women underwent a total of 151 VEs with a median of one VE per participant (IQR, 0-2), with no significant difference between vaginal- or Cesarean-delivery groups. After excluding those with epidural anesthesia during examination, the median pain score for intrapartum scans was 0 (IQR, 0-1) and for VE it was 3 (IQR, 0-6). Cesarean delivery was significantly associated with a slower rate of change in psAOP, HPD and SCD., Conclusions: Comprehensive transabdominal and transperineal ultrasound assessment can be used to assess progress in labor and can reduce the level of pain experienced during examination. Ultrasound assessment may be able to replace some transabdominal and vaginal examinations during labor. © 2024 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology., (© 2024 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.)

The new paradigm of syntactic pattern recognition, SPR, which uses multi-derivational parsing of vague languages is introduced in the paper. The methodology proposed addresses the issue of the recognition of vague/distorted patterns which is one of the important open problems in the area. The concept of the vague language of patterns and the efficient parsing method based on the class of dynamically programmed grammars are introduced. A vague language is defined with vague primitives which are vectors of "neighboring" primitives associated with measures of distance, probability, fuzziness, etc. The use of vague primitives allows us to identify b best structural templates during multi-derivational parsing that can be used for getting more adequate final result. The generic architecture of SPR system based on the approach proposed together with the system's applications for short-term electrical load forecasting and for analysis of ultrasound images in order to diagnose congenital defects of fetal palates are presented. The results of the experimental studies are discussed.

Objectives: Prior studies show conflicting evidence as to whether obesity in the absence of other medical or pregnancy-related conditions contributes to amniotic fluid disorders. The purpose of this study is to determine the association between late-pregnancy obesity with oligohydramnios (amniotic fluid index [AFI] ≤5 cm or maximum vertical pocket [MVP] <2 cm) and/or polyhydramnios (AFI ≥24 cm or MVP ≥8 cm)., Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of 961 women with singleton gestations who had one or more obstetrical ultrasounds at a single institution at 36 0/7 weeks gestation or beyond between August 1, 2015, and May 1, 2020. Patients were included if they had valid pregnancy dating and a documented AFI and/or MVP. Patients were categorized based on body mass index or BMI (eg, normal, overweight, Class I Obesity, Class II Obesity, or Class III Obesity)., Results: A total of 6.2% of patients met criteria for oligohydramnios based on AFI, MVP or both (n = 60). There was no significant association between oligohydramnios and increasing BMI, regardless of obesity class (P = .21). In terms of polyhydramnios, 5.6% of patients met criteria based on AFI, MVP, or both (n = 54). Similarly, there was also no significant association between polyhydramnios and increasing BMI, regardless of obesity class (P = .66)., Conclusions: Elevated maternal BMI was not significantly associated with disorders of amniotic fluid, regardless of the severity of obesity., (© 2024 American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.)

Objective: This study aims to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of color doppler flow imaging (CDFI) technology and the Slow Flow HD imaging technique in identifying fetal pulmonary veins (PVs) in the first trimester (11-13 + 6 weeks), and further explore the factors affecting fetal pulmonary vein identification in early pregnancy., Methods: Echocardiography and scanning of PVs were performed in 240 normal singleton fetuses in early pregnancy by using CDFI and slow flow HD techniques, to compare the ability of two methods to identify the PVs. Slow Flow HD technology was used to further investigate the difference of PVs identification at different gestational ages [group I (11-11 + 6 weeks), group II (12-12 + 6 weeks), group III (13-13 + 6 weeks)] and with different maternal body mass indices (BMI) (≥ 25 and < 25). In 31 cases of 240 fetuses, transvaginal ultrasonography was added due to maternal habitus or significant retroversion of the uterus, and the difference in PVs identification between transabdominal and transvaginal examination was analyzed., Results: Successful PVs identification rates via CDFI and Slow Flow HD were 32.0% and 88.3%, respectively (p < 0.05). The identification rate of at least one and two pulmonary veins in Slow Flow HD was 88.3% and 76.2%, and all four pulmonary veins in 11.6% (p < 0.05). The identification rate of group I, II and III were 76.4%, 88.9% and 96.0%, respectively. The identification rate was 45.1% in the transabdominal ultrasound group and 83.8% in the transvaginal ultrasound group. The identification rate was 62.5% in the BMI ≥ 25 group and 94.7% in the BMI < 25 group (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: Slow Flow HD can detect PVs in early pregnancy more often than using CDFI. Slow Flow HD is a feasible and effective imaging technique for evaluating PVs in early pregnancy., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Fetal echocardiography may be performed because of noncardiac indications (the pregnancy is identified as high risk for fetal cardiac disease), or because of fetal cardiac indications (abnormal fetal heart at the time of a screening ultrasound). Considering recent improvements in fetal cardiac screening over the past decade, the goal of this single institution study was to reconsider the importance of performing fetal echocardiography purely for screening (noncardiac) indications. We performed a retrospective analysis to review screening and fetal cardiac indications and fetal cardiac findings for fetal echocardiograms performed at UCLA between 2015 and 2019. Fetal heart disease was identified in 391 (15%) of 2592 pregnancies in this study. Among these 391 cases, 227 (58%) occurred in low-risk pregnancies (without screening indications). While 79% of the cases of fetal cardiac disease were referred with fetal cardiac indications, 21% of the cases were referred with exclusively screening indications. Fetal cardiac disease was discovered on fetal echocardiograms in 4% of pregnancies referred for exclusively screening indications, but the frequency of fetal cardiac disease following normal fetal cardiac screening has decreased from 6% in 2015 to 3% in 2019. In our population, we recommend continued referral for fetal echocardiography for pregnancies identified as high risk for CHD. However, as fetal cardiac screening continues to improve, referral for fetal echocardiography following normal fetal cardiac screening will have diminishing value and yield., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)