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Reference data representative of normal findings at three‐dimensional power Doppler ultrasound examination of the cervix from 17 to 41 gestational weeks
Author(s) -
Rovas L.,
Sladkevicius P.,
Strobel E.,
Valentin L.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.202
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1469-0705
pISSN - 0960-7692
DOI - 10.1002/uog.2857
Subject(s) - medicine , gestation , cervix , gestational age , gynecology , ultrasound , pregnancy , obstetrics , nuclear medicine , radiology , genetics , cancer , biology
Objectives To develop normal reference ranges for cervical volume and vascular indices using three‐dimensional (3D) power Doppler ultrasonography from 17 to 41 gestational weeks. Methods This was a cross‐sectional study of 352 nulliparous and 291 parous women who delivered at term and underwent transvaginal 3D power Doppler ultrasound examination of the cervix once at 17 to 41 weeks' gestation. We examined approximately 25 women in each gestational week. Cervical volume, vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI) and vascularization flow index (VFI) were calculated. Results There was no change in cervical volume between 17 and 40 weeks' gestation. At 41 weeks cervical volume was slightly smaller than it was at 17–40 weeks ( P = 0.03 for nulliparous women and P = 0.08 for parous women). The cervical volume was larger in parous than it was in nulliparous women (median 38 cm 3 vs. 32 cm 3 at 17–40 weeks, P < 0.0001; median 31 cm 3 vs. 22 cm 3 at 41 gestational weeks, P = 0.288). FI did not differ between nulliparous and parous women and remained unchanged between 17 and 41 weeks' gestation (median 30.6, range 21.2–55.2). VI and VFI did not change consistently from 17 to 41 weeks, but the values were higher in parous than they were in nulliparous women at 17–30 weeks (median VI 5.3% vs. 3.1%, P < 0.0001; median VFI 1.6 vs. 0.9, P < 0.0001). At 31–41 gestational weeks the median VI for all women irrespective of parity was 4.9% and the median VFI was 1.4. Conclusion Reference values for cervical volume and blood flow indices as assessed by 3D power Doppler ultrasonography have been established for the second half of pregnancy. These lay the basis for studies of pathological conditions. Copyright © 2006 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.