Premium
Measurement of the Great Vessels in the Mediastinum Could Help Distinguish True From False‐Positive Coarctation of the Aorta in the Third Trimester
Author(s) -
Slodki Maciej,
Rychik Jack,
Moszura Tomasz,
Janiak Katarzyna,
Respondek-Liberska Maria
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of ultrasound in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1550-9613
pISSN - 0278-4297
DOI - 10.7863/jum.2009.28.10.1313
Subject(s) - medicine , coarctation of the aorta , aortic arch , aorta , fetus , ascending aorta , cardiology , fetal echocardiography , predictive value , pregnancy , prenatal diagnosis , mediastinum , radiology , biology , genetics
Objective. We investigated the utility of analyzing prenatal mediastinal measures of the great arteries in distinguishing true coarctation of the aorta (CoA) from false‐positive CoA. Methods. All fetuses in this study had suspicion of CoA based on the presence of right‐left heart disproportion. We defined 3 study groups: group 1, true fetal CoA; group 2, false‐positive fetal CoA with a narrow aortic arch; and group 3, false‐positive fetal CoA without a narrow aortic arch. Results. In group 1, the mean mediastinal pulmonary artery (PA) to ascending aorta (Ao) diameter ratio ± SD was 2.03 ± 0.48, and in group 2, the ratio was 1.60 ± 0.23. The difference was statistically significant ( P = .0018, t test). In group 3, the mean PA:Ao ratio was 1.35 ± 0.14. The difference between groups 1 and 3 was statistically significant ( P = .0002, t test). In our study group, for a PA:Ao ratio of 1.60, sensitivity was 83.0%; specificity, 85.0%; positive predictive value, 62.5%; and negative predictive value, 94.0%. Conclusions. In the third trimester, the main PA:Ao ratio as measured in the fetal mediastinum can be a helpful tool in distinguishing true CoA requiring neonatal cardiac surgery from false‐positive CoA and simple disproportion requiring medical attention but no surgery in the first month of postnatal life.