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Updated: Jun 10, 2026
Fetal Mouse Cardiovascular Imaging Using a High-frequency Ultrasound (30/45MHZ) System
Published on: May 5, 2018
Comparison of 5 experts and computer analysis in rule-based fetal heart rate interpretation
Julian T Parer1, Emily F Hamilton
1Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to measure agreement among 5 expert clinicians and a computerized method with the use of a strict fetal heart rate classification method.
Study Design:
Five providers independently scored 769 8-minute segments from the last 3 hours of 30 tracings with the use of a 5-tier color-coded framework that contains pattern descriptions and proposals for management. Computer analysis was performed with PeriCALM Patterns (PeriGen, Princeton, NJ) to detect and classify patterns.
Results:
The clinicians agreed exactly with the majority opinion in 57% (95% confidence interval [CI], 49-64%) of the segments and were within 1 color code in 89% (95% CI, 81-96%). The average proportion of agreement was 0.83 (95% CI, 0.73-0.94). Weighted Kappa scores averaged 0.58 (range, 0.48-0.68). The computer-based results were not statistically different: 0.87 and 0.52, respectively.
Conclusion:
These 5 clinicians achieved moderate-to-substantial levels of agreement overall using a strictly defined method to classify fetal heart rate tracings. The result of the computerized method was similar to the conclusions of these clinicians.
