Three Dimensional Power Doppler Ultrasound in Assessment of Placental Volume and Blood Flow and its Correlation with Severity of Pre-Eclampsia

Abstract

Background: Pre-eclampsia [PE] is a main reason for maternal and perinatal morbidities and mortalities. Three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound [3DPD-US] methods nowadays give a noninvasive way of evaluating placental vascularization, flowing and vascularization-flowing indices. The specially designed VOCAL software, used in this technique, can calculate special indices and virtually reconstruct vascular tree within the given tissue volume.Aim of the work: To evaluate the use of three-dimensional power Doppler [3DPD] ultrasound [US] in assessment of placental size and blood flow and its correlation with severity of pre-eclampsia.Patients and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study which included 100 pregnant females with pre-eclampsia who had admitted to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Bab-Alsheiria University Hospitals at the last antenatal care visit before delivery. The sample size was further allocated into 2 groups, each containing 50 cases, according to the severity of preeclampsia: the severe group and the mild group.Results: There was a significant decrease in the placental volumes and blood flows among the studied groups. All three indices measuring vascularization index [VI], flow index [FI] and vascularization flow index [VFI] were revealed to be significantly higher in the mild group in comparison with the severe group.Conclusion: 3DPD-US can give novel insights into valuation of placental volumes and blood flow and its correlation with severity of preeclampsia.

Keywords

• three dimensional power doppler ultrasound
• mild
• severe
• preeclampsia