Abstract
Introduction. The recent introduction of three- and four-dimensional ultrasonography opens a promising perspective in prenatal diagnosis.
Objective. To assess the use of the STIC technique as a screening tool in order to perform a “basic and extended fetal cardiac evaluation”.
Methods and material. A number of volumes are prospectively obtained during the routine morphological scan by a general sonographer in 28 patients randomly selected among those attending our unit. Afterwards, an experimented examiner in fetal echocardiography proceeds to their offline analysis. The successful rate of volume acquisition and analysis is evaluated, as well as the percentage of cases in which a “basic” or “extended” cardiac evaluation is possible through single sweep and multiplanar navigation. Cases with chromosomal anomalies, cardiac abnormalities or extracardiac malformations are excluded.
Results. A number of 58 volumes are included, with gestational ages ranging between 17 and 35 weeks. STIC acquisition was possible in all cases. A “basic cardiac study” was achieved in 100% of cases, while an “extended cardiac study” was achieved in 86% of them. Multiplanar study improved the visualization of those structures not identifiable through the initial acquisition single plane in all cases.
Conclusions. We present the first study on a nationwide scale about the introduction and applications of the STIC technology. STIC volumes can be obtained by operators inexperienced in fetal echocardiography and their offline analysis enables recognition of most of the structures and views necessary to assess fetal cardiac anatomy.