A preliminary study on the prenatal diagnosis of fetal conotruncal defects using intelligent navigation echocardiography.

Objective: To compare the accuracy, efficiency, and consistency between experienced and less‐experienced professionals using intelligent navigation echocardiography. Methods: In this prospective study, we enrolled 93 second‐ and third‐trimester fetuses with conotruncal defects (CTD) from July 2017 to February 2018. One or more spatiotemporal image correlation volume data sets were collected per case. The fetuses with CTD were diagnosed by the following two groups of professionals (n = 20 in each) with different experience levels using intelligent navigation echocardiography and two‐dimensional ultrasound: group A with 15 years of experience and group B with 1 year of experience. The diagnostic consistency and accuracy of the technologies between the two groups were analyzed. Results: Satisfactory consistency was noted in the two groups (group A, τ = 0.855, P < 0.05, and group B, τ = 0.821, P < 0.05), and no significant difference in accuracy (χ2 = 3.218, P > 0.05) in using intelligent navigation echocardiography was reported between the two groups. However, there a significant difference in accuracy (χ2 = 0.021, P < 0.05) when using two‐dimensional ultrasound was observed between the two groups. Conclusion: Intelligent navigation echocardiography was found to be efficient and accurate for the diagnosis of CTD and good consistency existed in the experienced and less‐experienced professionals. Intelligent navigation echocardiography was feasible and accurate for the diagnosis of fetal conotruncal defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]