Improvement of diagnostic efficiency in fetal congenital heart disease using fetal intelligent navigation echocardiography by less‐experienced operators. Issue 1 (8th July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Ran; Tao, Xiaoying; Wu, Xia; Sun, Lihua; Ma, Mingming; Zhao, Bowen
• Is Part Of: International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics. Volume 160:Issue 1(2023)
• Page Start: 136
• Page End: 144
• Publication Date: 2022-07-08
• Subjects: congenital heart disease -- fetal echocardiography -- fetal heart -- fetal intelligent navigation echocardiography -- spatial–temporal image correlation; Gynecology -- Periodicals; Obstetrics -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 618
• DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.14303
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-7292

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: This study investigated the feasibility and accuracy of fetal intelligent navigation echocardiography (FINE) for the prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) by inexperienced and experienced operators. Method: In this prospective study, all volume data sets from 120 fetuses with a broad spectrum of CHD were acquired using spatiotemporal image correlation technology. The prenatal diagnostic procedures were performed by two operators with different experience (beginner: 1 year and expert: 15 years) using FINE and traditional fetal echocardiography. Data were analyzed on the time of examination and acquisition of results. Results: Diagnoses made by FINE and traditional echocardiography were completely consistent with the final diagnosis of CHD in 98 (81.66%) versus 20 (16.66%) ( P < 0.001) beginners and 87.50% ( n = 105) versus 101 (84.16%) experts, respectively. On the contrary, there was significant difference using traditional echocardiography (16.66% versus 84.16%, P < 0.001) by two examiners. Furthermore, the examination time decreased when using FINE compared with using traditional echocardiography (beginner operators: 4.54 ± 1.03 min versus 20.58 ± 3.36 min, P < 0.001; expert operators: 3.89 ± 0.96 min versus 12.73 ± 1.62 min, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Based on our results, a prenatal diagnosis of CHD can be made with high feasibility and accuracy using FINE compared with traditional fetal echocardiography for beginner operators. Synopsis: Intelligent navigation echocardiography was effective and accurate for the diagnosis of congenital heart disease compared with traditional echocardiography when performed by less‐experienced operators.