Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

OBJECTIVE: Fetal femur volume (FV) is a useful marker of skeletal growth. Our objective was to create a normal FV chart in a cohort of healthy pregnant women and to assess FV repeatability. METHOD: The method used was a prospective, observational study using 3D ultrasound. Low-risk pregnant women underwent serial scans from 14 to 42 weeks. Strict inclusion and exclusion criteria were used in order to remove pathological conditions. Pregnancies were dated by last menstrual period and confirmed by crown-rump length. FV was measured using three linear measurements and a volume equation. Data were analyzed using multilevel modeling. Repeatability was assessed using within-subject coefficients of variation (CV), intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), and Bland-Altman plots. RESULTS: A total of 180 women underwent 868 scans, a median of five scans per participant. Median and centile values were presented in the form of curves, regression equations, and table of values per completed week. Intra-observer CV and ICC were 10.5% and 0.977, respectively; interobserver CV and ICC were 16.8% and 0.923. CONCLUSION: This normal FV chart can be used as a prescriptive standard in order to assess fetal skeletal growth. Measurement repeatability is satisfactory for clinical use, but FV has a larger random error than commonly seen with standard 2D biometry.

Original publication

DOI

10.1002/pd.4203

Type

Journal article

Journal

Prenat diagn

Publication Date

11/2013

Volume

33

Pages

1088 - 1094

Keywords

Adult, Biometry, Cohort Studies, Crown-Rump Length, Female, Femur, Fetal Development, Fetus, Gestational Age, Growth Charts, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Organ Size, Pregnancy, Ultrasonography, Prenatal