Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2025
Assessment of Cardiac Morphological and Functional Changes in Mouse Model of Transverse Aortic Constriction by Echocardiographic Imaging
Published on: June 21, 2016
Evaluation of changes of cardiac morphology and function in fetuses with ductus arteriosus constriction by
Tianjing Li1,2, Jiancheng Han1, Yanli Han1
1Department of Ultrasound, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Insights
Premature ductus arteriosus constriction (DA Con) affects fetal heart morphology and function, particularly the right ventricle. Fetal heart quantification (FHQ) technology aids in assessing these changes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Fetal Medicine
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Premature ductus arteriosus constriction (DA Con) can lead to adverse cardiac outcomes.
- These include right ventricular enlargement, hypertrophy, and tricuspid regurgitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate cardiac morphology and function in fetuses with DA Con.
- To compare findings between different severity groups and healthy controls using FHQ technology.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 34 fetuses with DA Con and 45 controls.
- Fetal echocardiography and FHQ technology were used to assess cardiac parameters.
- Detailed analysis of ventricular segments and global function was performed.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in left ventricular parameters between groups.
- Reduced right ventricular global longitudinal strain (GS), sphericity index (SI), fractional shortening (FS), and fractional area change (FAC) in DA Con fetuses, especially in basal-middle segments.
- Moderate to severe DA Con showed increased LV-FS and decreased RV-FS compared to mild to moderate DA Con.
Conclusions:
- Fetal heart morphology and function are altered in DA Con fetuses compared to controls.
- FHQ technology offers a comprehensive tool for evaluating cardiac changes in DA Con.
Background:
Premature ductus arteriosus constriction (DA Con) can result in right ventricular enlargement, right ventricular hypertrophy, and tricuspid regurgitation.
Method:
This study retrospectively analyzed 34 singleton fetuses that underwent fetal echocardiography with a diagnosis of DA Con (16 cases with mild to moderate, and 18 cases with moderate to severe) and 45 healthy fetuses. The morphology and function parameters of cardiac, as well as the 24-Segment of ventricles, were compared between the DA Con group and controls, and between the mild to moderate and moderate to severe groups, using the fetal heart quantification (FHQ) technology.
Results:
There were no significant difference in left ventricular parameters in DA Con group when compared to controls. Moreover, fetal 4CV-GSI was significantly reduced, as well as the sphericity index (SI), fractional shortening (FS), global longitudinal strain (GS) and fractional area change (FAC) of right ventricle, especially in the basal-middle segments. Compared with the mild to moderate group, LV-FS increased and RV-FS decreased in moderate to severe group.
Conclusion:
The results showed that the fetal heart in the DA Con group was different from the controls in morphology and function. FHQ technology provides a comprehensive assessment for the evaluation of cardiac morphological and functional changes in DA Con fetuses.
