¹Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital 'Puerta del Mar', Cádiz, Spain

Correspondence: Professor JL Bartha, Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital 'Puerta del Mar', Avenida Ana de Viya 21, 11009 Cádiz, Spain. E-mail: joseluis.bartha@uca.es

Received 8 January 2009; Revised 5 May 2009; Accepted 7 May 2009; Published online 10 June 2009.

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to evaluate fetal cerebral circulation by using three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler ultrasound in normal and growth-restricted fetuses. A total of 100 normal grown fetuses were compared with other 25 with growth restriction (FGR). Three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound was used to assess fetal cerebral 3D vascular indices: vascularization index, flow index (FI), and vascularization flow index (VFI). Both FI and VFI correlated positively with gestational age. On average, all the 3D vascular indices were increased in fetuses with FGR. The proportion of fetuses detected as having hemodynamic redistribution was higher when using 3D power Doppler indices than by means of the middle cerebral artery pulsatility index (52% versus 20%, P=0.002). In conclusion, two of the three indices increased during gestation. All the fetal cerebral 3D vascular indices are increased in fetuses with FGR. In these fetuses, there were more cases suggesting hemodynamic redistribution than expected by conventional Doppler studies.