P08.02: Automated analysis of fetal atrioventricular (AV) plane displacement in normal pregnancy

Our aim was to assess fetal AV plane displacement from colour tissue Doppler (cTDI) myocardial velocity recordings in the second half of normal pregnancy using an automated method of analysis. Myocardial velocities were measured from cTDI cine-loop recordings of four-chamber view of the fetal heart. Regions of interest were placed at the atrioventricular plane in the left ventricular (LV), right ventricular (RV) and septal walls. Myocardial velocities were analysed using an automated algorithm in MATLAB (R2015a, MathWorks, MA, USA). AV plane displacement from the beginning of atrial contraction to the end of systole was assessed at all three locations. Gestational age specific reference ranges were constructed. Fitted mean and 5th and 95th centiles for corresponding gestational age were calculated as fitted mean ± 1.645 SD. This was a cross-sectional study of 201 normal pregnancies between 18 and 42 weeks of gestation. AV plane displacement showed an increase with gestational age at all three locations. At 18 weeks of gestation, AV plane displacement was highest in the RV wall (3.28 ± 1.15 mm) followed by the septum (2.52 ± 1.11 mm) and the LV wall (2.19 ± 1.29 mm). At 40 weeks of gestation AV plane displacement was still highest in the RV wall (6.35 ± 2.31 mm) followed by the septum (4.26 ± 1.32 mm) and the LV wall (3.97 ± 2.27 mm). It is possible to automatically analyse AV plane displacement from cTDI recordings of the fetal heart in four-chamber view. AV plane displacement is highest in the RV wall and increases with gestational age. Gestational age specific reference ranges were established, which will be useful in the evaluation of AV plane displacement in various fetal conditions affecting cardiac function. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.