Fetal cerebral ventricle volumetry: comparison between 3D ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in fetuses with ventriculomegaly

Abstract

Objectives. The aim of this study was to evaluate feasibility of fetal lateral ventricle (LV) volumetry in fetuses with ventriculomegaly and to compare measurements performed by 3D sonographic method virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCAL) with those obtained by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods. This cross-sectional study evaluated 30 fetuses with atrial width (AW) between 10 and 30 mm, from 20 to 36 gestational weeks. Fifty-nine ventricles were measured by two observers. Sonographic volumetric measurements using VOCAL 30° were performed with an ACCUVIX XQ machine (Medison, Korea) and MRI assessments with a Sonata system using ARGUS software (Siemens, Germany). Agreement between both techniques was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) calculation, and proportionate Bland–Altman plots were constructed.

Results. A high degree of reliability was observed between VOCAL and MRI measurements (ICC 0.928, 95%CI [0.876;0.958]). Bland–Altman plots confirmed the high correlation (mean of differences: 1.62 cm³ and standard deviation: ± 8.41 cm³).

Conclusion. Three-dimensional volumetry of fetal LVs by VOCAL method has good agreement with fetal MRI in fetuses with ventriculomegaly and may be used as an additional tool in patient counseling and prognosis prediction.

Keywords:

• Fetal ventriculomegaly
• three-dimensional sonography
• fetal MRI, VOCAL
• lateral ventricles

Acknowledgements

Special thanks Dr. Gustavo Malinger for the time and attention spent helping in this paper revision.

Declaration of interest:

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.