Three-dimensional visualization of a fetal double aortic arch with HDlive color Doppler

In the editorial of this journal we celebrate 30 years of three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound. The 3D ultrasound examination of the fetal heart, was however introduced in 2002, with advancement in computer processing, thus enabling the STIC acquisition [1]. STIC, which stands for “Spatial and Temporal Image Correlation“, allows the acquisition of a 3D volume of the fetal heart with cardiac motion, thus mimicking a single cardiac cycle. STIC software was soon adapted to include color Doppler [2]. In recent years, software modifications included the addition of a light source, which helped to emphasize the 3D effect of the examined structures (HDlive tool) or to make the color more transparent, highlighting spatial relationships of blood vessel (silhouette tool). Advantages of this new color technique have been discussed in recent articles in this journal, primarily involving the differentiation between a true and a false umbilical cord knot [3] and on the display of the venous system [4] [5] [6].

• References

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• 2 Chaoui R, Hoffmann J, Heling KS. Three-dimensional (3D) and 4D color Doppler fetal echocardiography using spatio-temporal image correlation (STIC). Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2004; 23: 535-545
• 3 Merz E, Pashaj S. True or false umbilical cord knot? Differentiation via 3D/4D color Doppler ultrasound. Ultraschall in Med 2018; 39: 127-128
• 4 Chaoui R, Heling K, Karl K. Ultrasound of the Fetal Veins Part 1: The Intrahepatic Venous System. Ultraschall in Med 2014; 35: 208-228
• 5 Chaoui R, Heling KS, Karl K. Ultrasound of the fetal veins part 2: Veins at the cardiac level. Ultraschall in Med 2014; 35: 302-318 quiz 319–321
• 6 Karl K, Heling KS, Chaoui R. Ultrasound of the Fetal Veins Part 3: The Fetal Intracerebral Venous System. Ultraschall in Med 2016; 37: 6-26
• 7 Chaoui R, Heling KS. 3D-ultrasound in prenatal diagnosis: a practical approach. 1st. ed. Berlin, New York: DeGruyter; 2016
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• 9 Chaoui R, Abuhamad A, Martins J. et al. Recent Development in Three- and Four-Dimension Fetal Echocardiography. Fetal Diagn Ther 2019; 45 (in press)