OC27.07: Evaluation of an objective antenatal measurement of fetal bowel echogenicity

Abstract

To evaluate a new antenatal method of measurement of fetal bowel echogenicity. Multicentre study of fetus between 14 and 39 weeks of gestation. The population of fetuses was divided in 2 groups: hyperechogenic fetal bowel (34 cases) and control group with normal fetal bowel (966 fetuses). Both groups were analysed with the conventional method and our method. Conventional, subjective method (Slotnik et al., Lancet 1996): fetal bowel hyperechogenicity is described as echogenicity of fetal bowel superior to bone echogenicity. Our method uses the technical characteristics of ultrasound, by measuring the maximal density of pixels, which is available on the ultrasound machine. The density of the fetal liver is used as standard density to compare with fetal bowel density, as the fetal liver density is homogeneous during pregnancy. We compared the maximal density of fetal bowel with the maximal density of the liver (Delta max density: Dm). The average of delta max (Dm) was significantly increased in fetuses with hyperechogenic bowel compared to the control group (18 vs 42, p=3.10-8, Student's t-test). 83% of the fetuses identified as hyperechogenic fetal bowel with the conventional method had a Dm above 80th percentile. The AUC was 0.842. Our method may improve the detection of hyperechogenic bowel and especially lower the risk of false positives, thus reducing the need for inappropriate invasive procedures. Supporting information can be found in the online version of this abstract 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.