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Assessment of the Cervix in Pregnant Women Using Shear Wave Elastography: A Feasibility Study
Marie Muller1, Dora Aït-Belkacem2, Mahdieh Hessabi3
1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA.
Abstract:
The quantitative assessment of the cervix is crucial for the estimation of pre-term delivery risk and the prediction of the success of labor induction. We conducted a cross-sectional study using shear wave elastography based on the supersonic shear imaging technique. The shear wave speed (SWS) of the lower anterior part of the cervix was quantified over an 8-mm region of interest in 157 pregnant women. Cervical SWS is slightly but significantly reduced in patients diagnosed with pre-term labor and in patients who actually delivered pre-term.
