The prediction of pre-eclampsia by using high resolution flow ultrasonography in determination vascularization of placental villi in late pregnancy

Abstract

Abstract To investigate the value of high resolution flow (HR-Flow) ultrasonography in evaluating placental villous vascularization in late pregnancy for predicting pre-eclampsia (PE). In this case–control study, forty singleton women with hypertensive disorders were divided into hypertension (n = 18) and PE (n = 22) groups, and 40 healthy volunteers were matched as the control group from January 2022 to December 2023. The placental villous parameters among the three groups were analyzed. The degree of the placental villous branches in the PE group was significantly lower than that in the hypertension and control groups (p < 0.05). The pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI), and ratio of peak systolic flow velocity to end diastolic flow velocity of the secondary villi in the PE and hypertension groups were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05). When the degree of villous branching was ≤ 2.5, the prediction of PE sensitivity was highest (95.5%) parallel the PI was ≥ 0.625, whereas the specificity was highest (93.1%) series the RI was ≥ 0.485, respectively. HR-Flow ultrasound has a certain value for predicting PE.

Keywords

• HR-flow
• Placenta
• Villi
• Pre-eclampsia
• Ultrasound
• Biomarker