A new method for on-screen ultrasonographic determination of fetal cardiac axis.

Publication/Presentation Date

10-1-1995

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to develop an ultrasonographic method of using multiple electronic calipers for on-screen measurement of fetal cardiac axis.

STUDY DESIGN: Two hundred low-risk patients who were seen for antenatal ultrasonography were studied. Standard biometry, anatomic survey, and echocardiography were performed on all fetuses. By use of a four-chamber view fetal cardiac axis was measured with electronic calipers. A table, derived from a trigonometric formula, was created to convert the caliper measurements to cardiac axis in degrees. The results were compared with a protractor-determined fetal cardiac axis.

RESULTS: All echocardiograms had normal results. Fetal cardiac axis (+/- 2 SD) by the ultrasonographic method was 43 degrees (+/- 16 degrees) versus 43 degrees (+/- 14 degrees) by the protractor method. This difference was not significant.

CONCLUSION: An on-screen method to determine fetal cardiac axis by use of multiple calipers is described. It is comparable to a protractor-measured fetal cardiac axis.

Volume

173

Issue

4

First Page

1192

Last Page

1195

ISSN

0002-9378

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

PubMedID

7485318

Department(s)

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Document Type

Article

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