On the safety of elastography in fetal medicine: A preliminary study of hypoacusia

Massó Guijarro, Paloma; Molina, Francisca; Rus Carlborg, Guillermo

doi:10.1002/uog.17429

Ultrasounds.pdf (1.404Mb)

Identificadores

URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10481/44845

DOI: 10.1002/uog.17429

ISSN: 1469-0705

ISSN: 0960-7692

Exportar

Editorial

John Wiley and Sons

Materia

Elastography

Acoustic radiation force elastography (ARFE)

Pregnancy

Teratogenous

Hypoacusia

Cervical stiffness

Date

2017

Referencia bibliográfica

Massó, P.; Molina, F.; Rus Carlborg, G. On the safety of elastography in fetal medicine: A preliminary study of hypoacusia. Ultrasound in Obstetric and Gynaecology: accepted author manuscript (2017). [http://hdl.handle.net/10481/44845]

Sponsorship

This research was supported by the Ministry of Education DPI2014-51870-R, DPI2010-17065 and UNGR15-CE-3664, Ministry of Health DTS15/00093 and PI16/00339, and Junta de Andalucía P11-CTS-8089 and GGI3000IDIB projects.

Abstract

Elastography is a promising technology to provide additional clinical information on the cervical effacement to that obtained from Bishop test and conventional cervicometry by ultrasounds. Among the different techniques, transient, or acoustic radiation force elastography (ARFE) is becoming the most common commercial elastography technique. However, the high intensity of thr beam that ARFE emits to generate the necessary concentrated burst of acoustic radiation [1] to induce a tractable shear oscillatory displacement (see Figure 1), has raised some concerns about its potential teratogenous effects during pregnancy. This letter is aimed at opening a debate to assess the safety of this type of elastography, and in particular to provide a preliminary screening of cochlear damage in exposed fetus.