Fetal age estimation by ultrasound: the impact of measurement errors. 1984

D H Pretorius, and T R Nelson, and M L Manco-Johnson

Ultrasound estimation of fetal age is a routine, safe, and valuable diagnostic procedure. The overall accuracy of ultrasound measurement of femur length and biparietal diameter was investigated using a dowel phantom, chicken bones, and a bottle. Objects were imaged in a water bath using commercially available static, linear, and sector scanners. Transducer type and frequency, depth, object dimension, and observer variation were evaluated. Our results show that there was no appreciable difference between transducer types; the overall accuracy of the measurements improved with increasing transducer frequency; the lateral measurements consistently overestimated the object length; the absolute error in lateral measurements was between 0-12 mm; the absolute error in axial measurements was between 0-4 mm; the interobserver variability was +/- 1.3 mm, and intraobserver variability was +/- 1.0 mm. We conclude that transducer type does not affect measurement accuracy, measurement errors are greater in the lateral dimension as opposed to the axial dimension, proper quality assurance and performance evaluation procedures are necessary to ensure optimal results, and femur length measurements will continue to be useful in evaluation of gestational age.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008961 Models, Structural A representation, generally small in scale, to show the structure, construction, or appearance of something. (From Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed) Model, Structural,Structural Model,Structural Models
D002645 Chickens Common name for the species Gallus gallus, the domestic fowl, in the family Phasianidae, order GALLIFORMES. It is descended from the red jungle fowl of SOUTHEAST ASIA. Gallus gallus,Gallus domesticus,Gallus gallus domesticus,Chicken
D005269 Femur The longest and largest bone of the skeleton, it is situated between the hip and the knee. Trochanter,Greater Trochanter,Lesser Trochanter,Femurs,Greater Trochanters,Lesser Trochanters,Trochanter, Greater,Trochanter, Lesser,Trochanters,Trochanters, Greater,Trochanters, Lesser
D005865 Gestational Age The age of the conceptus, beginning from the time of FERTILIZATION. In clinical obstetrics, the gestational age is often estimated from the onset of the last MENSTRUATION which is about 2 weeks before OVULATION and fertilization. It is also estimated to begin from fertilization, estrus, coitus, or artificial insemination. Embryologic Age,Fetal Maturity, Chronologic,Chronologic Fetal Maturity,Fetal Age,Maturity, Chronologic Fetal,Age, Embryologic,Age, Fetal,Age, Gestational,Ages, Embryologic,Ages, Fetal,Ages, Gestational,Embryologic Ages,Fetal Ages,Gestational Ages
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000365 Age Determination by Skeleton Establishment of the age of an individual by examination of their skeletal structure. Bone Age Measurement,Skeletal Age Measurement,Skeletal Maturation Index,Age Measurement, Bone,Age Measurement, Skeletal,Age Measurements, Bone,Age Measurements, Skeletal,Bone Age Measurements,Index, Skeletal Maturation,Indices, Skeletal Maturation,Maturation Index, Skeletal,Maturation Indices, Skeletal,Measurement, Bone Age,Measurement, Skeletal Age,Measurements, Bone Age,Measurements, Skeletal Age,Skeletal Age Measurements,Skeletal Maturation Indices
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014159 Transducers Any device or element which converts an input signal into an output signal of a different form. Examples include the microphone, phonographic pickup, loudspeaker, barometer, photoelectric cell, automobile horn, doorbell, and underwater sound transducer. (McGraw Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed) Transducer
D014463 Ultrasonography The visualization of deep structures of the body by recording the reflections or echoes of ultrasonic pulses directed into the tissues. Use of ultrasound for imaging or diagnostic purposes employs frequencies ranging from 1.6 to 10 megahertz. Echography,Echotomography,Echotomography, Computer,Sonography, Medical,Tomography, Ultrasonic,Ultrasonic Diagnosis,Ultrasonic Imaging,Ultrasonographic Imaging,Computer Echotomography,Diagnosis, Ultrasonic,Diagnostic Ultrasound,Ultrasonic Tomography,Ultrasound Imaging,Diagnoses, Ultrasonic,Diagnostic Ultrasounds,Imaging, Ultrasonic,Imaging, Ultrasonographic,Imaging, Ultrasound,Imagings, Ultrasonographic,Imagings, Ultrasound,Medical Sonography,Ultrasonic Diagnoses,Ultrasonographic Imagings,Ultrasound, Diagnostic,Ultrasounds, Diagnostic
D014465 Ultrasonics A subfield of acoustics dealing in the radio frequency range higher than acoustic SOUND waves (approximately above 20 kilohertz). Ultrasonic radiation is used therapeutically (DIATHERMY and ULTRASONIC THERAPY) to generate HEAT and to selectively destroy tissues. It is also used in diagnostics, for example, ULTRASONOGRAPHY; ECHOENCEPHALOGRAPHY; and ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, to visually display echoes received from irradiated tissues. Ultrasonic

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