Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Murine Fetal Echocardiography
08:04

Murine Fetal Echocardiography

Published on: February 15, 2013

Development of Z-scores for fetal cardiac dimensions from echocardiography

C Schneider1, B W McCrindle, J S Carvalho

  • 1Brompton Fetal Cardiology, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.

Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology : the Official Journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
|October 29, 2005
PubMed

Insights

This study developed Z-scores for 17 fetal cardiac dimensions using femur length, biparietal diameter, or gestational age. These scores enable precise quantitative assessment of fetal heart growth, crucial for clinical and research applications.

Area of Science:

  • Fetal Medicine
  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Z-scores for postnatal cardiac dimensions are established, but fetal equivalents are lacking.
  • Accurate quantification of fetal cardiac size and growth is essential for clinical management and research.
  • Existing methods lack quantitative precision for assessing fetal cardiac development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop formulae and nomograms for calculating Z-scores of fetal cardiac dimensions.
  • To enable quantitative assessment of fetal cardiac growth using femur length (FL), biparietal diameter (BPD), or gestational age (GA).
  • To provide clinicians and researchers with tools for precise evaluation of fetal heart dimensions.

Main Methods:

  • Measured 17 fetal cardiac dimensions in 130 fetuses (15-39 weeks gestation).
  • Derived regression equations relating cardiac dimensions to FL, BPD, and GA.
  • Developed formulae for fetal cardiac Z-score computation using fetal echocardiography.

Main Results:

  • Femur length showed the highest correlation with fetal cardiac dimensions.
  • Established relationships between cardiac dimensions and FL, BPD, or GA.
  • Created nomograms for estimating Z-scores of fetal cardiac structures.

Conclusions:

  • Successfully computed Z-scores for 17 fetal cardiac dimensions based on FL, BPD, or GA.
  • Enables quantitative analysis of fetal cardiac dimensions, improving upon qualitative assessments.
  • Facilitates precise evaluation of fetal heart growth in both normal and congenitally abnormal hearts, aiding treatment planning.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Fetal Echocardiography and Pulsed-wave Doppler Ultrasound in a Rabbit Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction14:19

Fetal Echocardiography and Pulsed-wave Doppler Ultrasound in a Rabbit Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction

Published on: June 29, 2013

Functional Cardiac Imaging in Zebrafish Embryos Using Standard Microscopy and Video Analysis: Applications in Environmental and Biomedical Research04:11

Functional Cardiac Imaging in Zebrafish Embryos Using Standard Microscopy and Video Analysis: Applications in Environmental and Biomedical Research

Published on: October 10, 2025

Related Concept Videos

z Scores and Area Under the Curve01:17

z Scores and Area Under the Curve

z scores are the standardized values obtained after converting a normal distribution into a standard normal distribution. A z score is measured in units of the standard deviation. The z score tells you how many standard deviations the value x is above (to the right of) or below (to the left of) the mean, μ. Values of x that are larger than the mean have positive z scores, and values of x that are smaller than the mean have negative z scores. If x equals the mean, then x has a z score of zero.
Development of the Heart01:27

Development of the Heart

The development of the human heart, a crucial organ, commences from the mesoderm on the 18th or 19th day after fertilization. This process initiates in the cardiogenic area, a group of mesodermal cells at the embryo's head end, which evolves into elongated strands known as cardiogenic cords. These cords undergo a transformation to form hollow-centered endocardial tubes.
As the embryo undergoes lateral folding, these paired tubes approach each other, merging into a single primitive heart tube by...
Introduction to z Scores01:05

Introduction to z Scores

A z score (or standardized value) is measured in units of the standard deviation. It indicates how many standard deviations the value x is above (to the right of) or below (to the left of) the mean, μ. Values of x that are larger than the mean have positive z scores, and values of x that are smaller than the mean have negative z scores. If x equals the mean, then x has a zero z score. It is important to note that the mean of the z scores is zero, and the standard deviation is one.
z scores help...
Introduction to z Scores01:06

Introduction to z Scores

A z score (or standardized value) is measured in units of the standard deviation. It tells you how many standard deviations the value x is above (to the right of) or below (to the left of) the mean, μ. Values of x that are larger than the mean have positive z scores, and values of x that are smaller than the mean have negative z scores. If x equals the mean, then x has a zero z score. It is important to note that the mean of the z scores is zero, and the standard deviation is one.
z scores help...