Volume 43, Issue 12 pp. 2399-2410

Advancing Through Innovation

Measuring Atrial Size, Shape, and Contractility of the Fetal Heart Using FetalHQ

A New Technique Using Speckle Tracking Analysis

Greggory R. DeVore MD, FAIUM, FACOG,

Corresponding Author

Greggory R. DeVore MD, FAIUM, FACOG

[email protected]

orcid.org/0000-0001-8814-572X

Fetal Diagnostic Centers of Pasadena, Tarzana, and Lancaster, Pasadena, California, USA

Address correspondence to Greggory R. DeVore MD, Suite 330, 50 Alessandro Place, Pasadena, CA 91105, USA.

E-mail: [email protected]

Search for more papers by this author

Greggory R. DeVore MD, FAIUM, FACOG,

Corresponding Author

Greggory R. DeVore MD, FAIUM, FACOG

[email protected]

orcid.org/0000-0001-8814-572X

Fetal Diagnostic Centers of Pasadena, Tarzana, and Lancaster, Pasadena, California, USA

Address correspondence to Greggory R. DeVore MD, Suite 330, 50 Alessandro Place, Pasadena, CA 91105, USA.

E-mail: [email protected]

Search for more papers by this author

First published: 02 September 2024

https://doi.org/10.1002/jum.16565

Citations: 1

Although Dr DeVore was involved with the development of the TomTec software used for evaluating the fetal heart as well as the development of FetalHQ, he received no compensation for his assistance from TomTec or GE Ultrasound for his efforts in developing the programs described in this communication.

Share a link

Email
Wechat
Bluesky

Abstract

Measurements of fetal atrial size, shape, and contractility have been previously reported using the TomTec fetal heart speckle tracking analysis software, which currently is no longer available in the marketplace. At the present time, the only software available for speckle-tracking analysis of the fetal heart is fetalHQ, which analyzes the fetal heart ventricles using the same algorithms as the TomTec software used for speckle-tracking analysis. This communication will review how to use the fetalHQ software to measure the size, shape, and contractility of the atrial chambers.

Open Research

Data Availability Statement

Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

Supporting Information

References

1DeVore GR, Klas B, Satou G, Sklansky M. Speckle tracking analysis to evaluate the size, shape, and function of the atrial chambers in normal fetuses at 20-40 weeks of gestation. J Ultrasound Med 2022; 41: 2041–2057. https://doi.org/10.1002/jum.15888.
10.1002/jum.15888
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
2DeVore GR, Satou G, Sklansky M, Cuneo B. Speckle tracking analysis to evaluate the size, shape, and function of the atrial chambers in fetuses with d-transposition of the great arteries to predict the need for neonatal urgent balloon atrial septostomy. Echocardiography 2023; 40: 204–216. https://doi.org/10.1111/echo.15533.
10.1111/echo.15533
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
3Dahlbäck C, Gudmundsson S. Investigations on atrial function in fetuses with signs of impaired placental function. Prenat Diagn 2015; 35: 605–611. https://doi.org/10.1002/pd.4580.
10.1002/pd.4580
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
4Meister M, Axt-Fliedner R, Graupner O, et al. Atrial and ventricular deformation analysis in normal fetal hearts using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. Fetal Diagn Ther 2020; 47: 699–710. https://doi.org/10.1159/000508881.
10.1159/000508881
PubMed Google Scholar
5Rato J, Vigneswaran TV, Simpson JM. Speckle-tracking echocardiography for the assessment of atrial function during fetal life. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2020; 33: 1391–1399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.echo.2020.06.011.
10.1016/j.echo.2020.06.011
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
6Peng X, Zhou S, Wang J, et al. Assessment of fetal left atrial volume and function using a novel left atrial volume tracking method. Kardiol Pol 2023; 81: 31–37. https://doi.org/10.33963/KP.a2022.0236.
10.33963/KP.a2022.0236
PubMed Google Scholar
7Medjedovic E, Begic Z, Stanojevic M, et al. Left atrial strain in fetal echocardiography – could it be introduced to everyday clinical practice? J Perinat Med 2024; 52: 230–238. https://doi.org/10.1515/jpm-2023-0359.
10.1515/jpm-2023-0359
PubMed Google Scholar
8García-Otero L, Soveral I, Sepúlveda-Martínez Á, et al. Reference ranges for fetal cardiac, ventricular and atrial relative size, sphericity, ventricular dominance, wall asymmetry and relative wall thickness from 18 to 41 gestational weeks. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2021; 58: 388–397. https://doi.org/10.1002/uog.23127.
10.1002/uog.23127
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
9DeVore GR, Satou G, Sklansky M, Cuneo B. Speckle tracking analysis in fetuses with D-transposition: predicting the need for urgent neonatal balloon atrial septostomy. Pediatr Cardiol 2023; 44: 1382–1396. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-023-03131-y.
10.1007/s00246-023-03131-y
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
10DeVore GR, Tabsh K, Polanco B, Satou G, Sklansky M. Fetal heart size: a comparison between the point-to-point trace and automated ellipse methods between 20 and 40 weeks' gestation. J Ultrasound Med 2016; 35: 2543–2562. https://doi.org/10.7863/ultra.16.02019.
10.7863/ultra.16.02019
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
11DeVore GR, Klas B, Satou G, Sklansky M. Evaluation of the right and left ventricles: an integrated approach measuring the area, length, and width of the chambers in normal fetuses. Prenat Diagn 2017; 37: 1203–1212. https://doi.org/10.1002/pd.5166.
10.1002/pd.5166
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
12DeVore GR, Satou G, Sklansky M. Abnormal fetal findings associated with a global sphericity index of the 4-chamber view below the 5th centile. J Ultrasound Med 2017; 36: 2309–2318. https://doi.org/10.1002/jum.14261.
10.1002/jum.14261
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
13DeVore GR, Satou G, Sklansky M. Area of the fetal heart's four-chamber view: a practical screening tool to improve detection of cardiac abnormalities in a low-risk population. Prenat Diagn 2017; 37: 151–155. https://doi.org/10.1002/pd.4980.
10.1002/pd.4980
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
14DeVore GR, Klas B, Satou G, Sklansky M. Longitudinal annular systolic displacement compared to global strain in normal fetal hearts and those with cardiac abnormalities. J Ultrasound Med 2018; 37: 1159–1171. https://doi.org/10.1002/jum.14454.
10.1002/jum.14454
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
15DeVore GR, Klas B, Satou G, Sklansky M. Twenty-four segment transverse ventricular fractional shortening: a new technique to evaluate fetal cardiac function. J Ultrasound Med 2018; 37: 1129–1141. https://doi.org/10.1002/jum.14455.
10.1002/jum.14455
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
16DeVore GR, Klas B, Satou G, Sklansky M. 24-segment sphericity index: a new technique to evaluate fetal cardiac diastolic shape. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2018; 51: 650–658. https://doi.org/10.1002/uog.17505.
10.1002/uog.17505
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
17DeVore GR, Cuneo B, Klas B, Satou G, Sklansky M. Comprehensive evaluation of fetal cardiac ventricular widths and ratios using a 24-segment speckle tracking technique. J Ultrasound Med 2019; 38: 1039–1047. https://doi.org/10.1002/jum.14792.
10.1002/jum.14792
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
18DeVore GR, Klas B, Satou G, Sklansky M. Evaluation of fetal left ventricular size and function using speckle-tracking and the Simpson rule. J Ultrasound Med 2019; 38: 1209–1221. https://doi.org/10.1002/jum.14799.
10.1002/jum.14799
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
19DeVore GR, Klas B, Satou G, Sklansky M. Speckle tracking of the basal lateral and septal wall annular plane systolic excursion of the right and left ventricles of the fetal heart. J Ultrasound Med 2019; 38: 1309–1318. https://doi.org/10.1002/jum.14811.
10.1002/jum.14811
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
20DeVore GR, Klas B, Satou G, Sklansky M. Quantitative evaluation of fetal right and left ventricular fractional area change using speckle-tracking technology. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2019; 53: 219–228. https://doi.org/10.1002/uog.19048.
10.1002/uog.19048
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
21DeVore GR, Satou G, Sklansky M. Comparing the non-Quiver and Quiver techniques for identification of the endocardial Borders used for speckle-tracking analysis of the ventricles of the fetal heart. J Ultrasound Med 2021; 40: 1955–1961. https://doi.org/10.1002/jum.15561.
10.1002/jum.15561
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar

Citing Literature

Volume43, Issue12

December 2024

Pages 2399-2410

Filename	Description
jum16565-sup-0001-VideoS1.mp4MPEG-4 video, 22.9 MB	Supplemental Video 1 Video demonstration of placing the three reference dots and their adjustment using QUIVER for the atrial chambers.
jum16565-sup-0002-Supinfo.xlsmapplication/vnd.ms-excel.sheet.macroenabled.12, 1.9 MB	Supplemental Data 2 Atrial FetalHQ calculator with graphs.
jum16565-sup-0003-DataS1.csvCSV document, 48.3 KB	Supplemental Data 3 Sample CSV file.
jum16565-sup-0004-VideoS2.mp4MPEG-4 video, 135.6 MB	Supplemental Video 4 Video demonstrating the steps to prepare the CSV file for importing into the Excel Calculator.

Measuring Atrial Size, Shape, and Contractility of the Fetal Heart Using FetalHQ

A New Technique Using Speckle Tracking Analysis

Abstract

Open Research

Data Availability Statement

Supporting Information

References

Citing Literature

References

Information

About Wiley Online Library

Help & Support

Opportunities

Connect with Wiley

Measuring Atrial Size, Shape, and Contractility of the Fetal Heart Using FetalHQ

A New Technique Using Speckle Tracking Analysis

Abstract

Open Research

Data Availability Statement

Supporting Information

References

Citing Literature

References

Related

Information