|
|
|
| Duplex Doppler ultrasonography on the blood flow of fetal hepatic vein and inferior vena cava |
| FAN Hui-li |
| Department of Ultrasound, Heze Municipal Hospital, Heze Shandong 274031, China |
|
|
|
|
Abstract Objective: To study the Doppler flow spectrum of fetal hepatic vein and inferior vena cava and determine the gestational age-related reference range of their preload index. Methods: Doppler measurements were obtained for the 4 veins of 118 normal fetuses at the 26~40 week of gestation. A and S values were measured from the recorded flow velocity waveform of each vein and the A/S ratio was calculated and analyzed as the preload index. Results: There was a three-phase blood flow spectrum which could be observed in the hepatic vein and the inferior vena cava. The A/S ratios decreased gradually with the increase of the gestational age, which were less than 0.5. There was no significant difference between the four regression equations. Conclusions: The flow indexes of fetal hepatic vein and inferior vena cava are statistically similar, which may be utilized as an index for the estimation of fetal cardiac function.
|
|
Received: 11 September 2014
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2015, Vol. 26 
