Middle cerebral artery blood flow velocimetry among healthy fetuses with a single umbilical artery

Reli Hershkovitz, Eyal Sheiner, Moshe Mazor

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    4 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    Objective. A single umbilical artery (SUA) is an independent risk factor for perinatal morbidity and mortality in healthy fetuses. The aims of the study were (1) to determine middle cerebral artery (MCA) blood flow velocimetric values among fetuses without structural or chromosomal anomalies with an SUA and to compare them with nomograms of patients with a 3-vessel cord and (2) to measure the pulsatility index (PI) of the umbilical artery among these patients. Methods. The PI values of the MCA and umbilical arteries were determined prospectively among 98 healthy fetuses with an SUA. The PI values were compared with nomograms of patients with a 3-vessel umbilical cord. For the MCA, peak systolic velocity (PSV) was also measured. Patients carrying fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction or congenital anomalies were excluded from the study. Middle cerebral artery PI values below the fifth percentile and PSV values above the 95th percentile adjusted for gestational age were considered abnormal. Results. Gestational age ranged between 22 and 37.9 weeks (median, 30.3 weeks). After adjusting for gestational age, no alterations in the MCA PI and umbilical PI were found in comparison with the normal range for a 3-vessel cord known in the literature. Middle cerebral artery PSV values were also within the normal range for gestational age in all patients. Conclusions. The MCA PI and PSV values among healthy fetuses with an isolated SUA were similar to nomograms for fetuses with a 3-vessel umbilical cord. Therefore, abnormal MCA PI and PSV values among fetuses with an SUA should be treated the same as in patients with a 3-vessel umbilical cord.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1405-1408
    Number of pages4
    JournalJournal of Ultrasound in Medicine
    Volume25
    Issue number11
    DOIs
    StatePublished - 1 Jan 2006

    Keywords

    • Blood flow velocimetry
    • Middle cerebral artery
    • Single umbilical artery

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Radiological and Ultrasound Technology
    • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

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