Reference Ranges for the Size of the Fetal Cardiac Outflow Tracts From 13 to 36 Weeks Gestation: A Single-Center...

Area of Science:

• Fetal cardiology
• Medical imaging
• Quantitative anatomy

Background:

• Outflow tract assessment is crucial for fetal cardiac scanning.
• Accurate vessel sizing is vital for diagnosing and predicting outcomes of congenital heart defects like coarctation of the aorta and valve stenosis.
• Current reference ranges for fetal outflow tracts are based on limited data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish comprehensive reference ranges for fetal outflow tract measurements.
• To provide normative data for key cardiac structures in fetuses.
• To support the diagnosis and prognosis of congenital heart conditions.

Main Methods:

• Prospective measurements of aortic and pulmonary valves, distal transverse aortic arch, and arterial duct in 7945 fetuses (13-36 weeks gestation).
• Utilized regression analysis to correlate measurements with gestational age, including linear and nonlinear relationships.
• Calculated z scores and percentiles for each measurement, alongside gestation-specific standard deviations.

Main Results:

• Established regression equations for fetal outflow tracts and the transverse aortic arch:arterial duct ratio.
• Generated comprehensive reference ranges for fetal outflow tract dimensions across gestational ages.
• Provided z scores and percentiles for individual fetal measurements.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully established reliable reference ranges for fetal outflow tract measurements from 13 to 36 weeks gestation.
• These new ranges are clinically applicable and valuable for routine fetal cardiac scanning.
• The findings contribute to improved diagnostic accuracy and prognostic assessment of fetal cardiac abnormalities.