useful information about utero-placental perfusion, with the calculated resistance indices (PI, S/D, RI) being of prognostic importance with regard to the likelihood of growth restriction and pre-eclampsia complicating a pregnancy.
In a normally progressing pregnancy, both umbilical and uterine artery resistances decrease with advancing gestation. However, in pathological settings, resistance indices within the umbilical and uterine vessels may not undergo their normal maturational change or deteriorate to produce very high resistance waveform patterns.
This workshop provides an opportunity to:-
· Discuss the diagnostic criteria for increased utero-placental resistance (Uterine and Umbilical arteries)
· Discuss the technique used to locate and correctly identify the vessels in B-mode and colour Doppler imaging
· Describe the correct placement of sample acquisition for each vessel
· Review criteria that ensures the spectral analysis is repeatable and reliable for each vessel
· Review technical parameters that impact the quality and accuracy of the captured spectral trace
· Describe some common technical pitfalls that you may encounter when locating and sampling each vessel with Duplex imaging.