Assessment of late on-set fetal growth restriction using SMI (superb microvascular imaging) Doppler

Background: The identification of late-onset fetal growth restriction (FGR) fetuses remains a challenge, given the difficulty to distinguish them from healthy small for gestational age (SGA) fetuses. Given the limitations of conventional Doppler for the identification of placental insufficiency, the...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: García Jiménez, Rocío, Borrero González, Carlota, García Mejido, José Antonio, Fernández Palacín, Ana, Robles, Antonio, Sosa, Francisco, Sáinz Bueno, José Antonio
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Sevilla (US)
Repositorio:idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla
OAI Identifier:oai:idus.us.es:11441/161526
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/11441/161526
https://doi.org/10.21037/qims-22-807
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:SMI Doppler
placental insufficiency
late on-set fetal growth restriction
small for gestational age (SGA)
chorionic plate
Descripción
Sumario:Background: The identification of late-onset fetal growth restriction (FGR) fetuses remains a challenge, given the difficulty to distinguish them from healthy small for gestational age (SGA) fetuses. Given the limitations of conventional Doppler for the identification of placental insufficiency, the appearance of superb microvascular imaging (SMI) Doppler seems promising. Our main objective was to evaluate the diagnostic capability of SMI Doppler for the detection of placental insufficiency findings. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary care center, including 51 patients who had been diagnosed with late on-set SGA or FGR. A placental ultrasonographic evaluation was carried out using SMI Doppler. Patients were sorted into two groups attending to the histologic evaluation of the placentas after delivery: Group 1 (21 cases), Normal group; and Group 2 (30 cases), FGR group. Results: Placentas in the FGR group had lower peak systolic velocity (PV) values of the chorionic plate. The PV of the other vessels were consistently lower in the FGR group that in the normal group, although without reaching statistical significance. Conclusions: The PV of the chorionic plate measured with SMI Doppler, have the capacity to identify placental insufficiency findings. Ultrasonographic placental assessment using SMI Doppler appears to be a useful technique for the evaluation of suspected late on-set placental insufficiency.