Zvi Kivilevitch1, Reuven Achiron2, Sharon Perlman2, Yinon Gilboa2. 1. Women's Ultrasound Unit, Maccabi Health Services, Negev Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel. 2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to assess the sonographic feasibility of measuring the fetal pancreas and its normal development throughout pregnancy. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional prospective study between 19 and 36 weeks' gestation. The study included singleton pregnancies with normal pregnancy follow-up. The pancreas circumference was measured. The first 90 cases were tested to assess feasibility. RESULTS: Two hundred ninety-seven fetuses of nondiabetic mothers were recruited during a 3-year period. The overall satisfactory visualization rate was 61.6%. The intraobserver and interobserver variability had high interclass correlation coefficients of of 0.964 and 0.967, respectively. A cubic polynomial regression described best the correlation of pancreas circumference with gestational age (r = 0.744; P < .001) and significant correlations also with abdominal circumference and estimated fetal weight (Pearson r = 0.829 and 0.812, respectively; P < .001). Modeled pancreas circumference percentiles for each week of gestation were calculated. During the study period, we detected 2 cases with overgrowth syndrome and 1 case with an annular pancreas. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we assessed the feasibility of sonography for measuring the fetal pancreas and established a normal reference range for the fetal pancreas circumference throughout pregnancy. This database can be helpful when investigating fetomaternal disorders that can involve its normal development.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to assess the sonographic feasibility of measuring the fetal pancreas and its normal development throughout pregnancy. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional prospective study between 19 and 36 weeks' gestation. The study included singleton pregnancies with normal pregnancy follow-up. The pancreas circumference was measured. The first 90 cases were tested to assess feasibility. RESULTS: Two hundred ninety-seven fetuses of nondiabetic mothers were recruited during a 3-year period. The overall satisfactory visualization rate was 61.6%. The intraobserver and interobserver variability had high interclass correlation coefficients of of 0.964 and 0.967, respectively. A cubic polynomial regression described best the correlation of pancreas circumference with gestational age (r = 0.744; P < .001) and significant correlations also with abdominal circumference and estimated fetal weight (Pearson r = 0.829 and 0.812, respectively; P < .001). Modeled pancreas circumference percentiles for each week of gestation were calculated. During the study period, we detected 2 cases with overgrowth syndrome and 1 case with an annular pancreas. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we assessed the feasibility of sonography for measuring the fetal pancreas and established a normal reference range for the fetal pancreas circumference throughout pregnancy. This database can be helpful when investigating fetomaternal disorders that can involve its normal development.
Authors: Yinon Gilboa; Michał Krekora; Sharon Perlman; Ron Bardin; Eran Kassif; Reuven Achiron; Katarzyna Zych-Krekora; Piotr Kaczmarek; Mariusz Grzesiak; Zvi Kivilevitch Journal: Arch Med Sci Date: 2021-08-04 Impact factor: 3.318