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Updated: Mar 21, 2026
Protocol and Guidelines for Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound in Diagnosing Neonatal Pulmonary Diseases Based on International Expert Consensus
Published on: March 6, 2019
Prenatal assessment of pulmonary maturity on 3-D ultrasound
Sha-Sha Wang1, Xue-Ye Tian1, Hong-Wei Yan1
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Xi'an JiaoTong University, Xi'an, Shanxi Province, China.
Aim:
The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and accuracy of 3-D ultrasound indices to evaluate fetal lung maturity, and to establish a normal reference for fetal lung volume (FLV) and fetal lung-to-liver intensity ratio (FLLIR) in a Chinese population.
Methods:
A total of 1022 pregnant women with singleton pregnancy were prospectively studied between June 2008 to June 2011. Ultrasound examination was performed. The breathing-related nasal fluid flow (BRNFF) spectrum, FLV, pulmonary artery blood flow parameters, and echo intensity of the lung were calculated. Phosphoglycerides in the amniotic fluid were measured on thin layer chromatography.
Results:
FLLIR and FLV were positively and linearly correlated with gestational age (F = 0.915, 0.846). Indicators of fetal lung maturity included FLLIR >1.1, FLV >50 mL, and regular BRNFF spectrum, with positive likelihood ratios of 12.28, 11.78, and 11.63, independently.
Conclusion:
Ultrasound indices, including FLLIR, FLV and BRNFF may serve as useful alternatives to amniotic fluid phospholipids in analyzing fetal lung maturity in Chinese patients.
