The development of new three-dimensional ultrasound system and its examination of utility for the purpose of ultrasonic characterization of human fetal brain tissue

体积模式是一种有用的三维超声图像建模方法，它是一种相对较新的模式，由于它基于准确的位置信息，因此与传统的二维模式相比具有一些潜在的优点。但由于该方法检测时间较长，很难获得实时图像。在本研究中，我们研制了高速扫描探头，并对胎儿的实时运动进行了观察，从妊娠8-9周开始，就可以观察到优雅而连续的反映新生儿中枢神经系统功能的总运动(General Motion，GM)。赫珀等人的研究成果。报道称，异常妊娠与妊娠前三个月的流产有关。Visser等人。报道称，胎儿的GM与新生儿的相似。然而，这些观察都是通过B超完成的，因此无法进行定量评估。我们采用这种高速扫描探头来观察胎儿GM，并探讨各肢体运动之间的关系。结果发现，胎儿四肢运动与新生儿四肢运动之间的关系具有明显的相似性。尽管它也有望使用这种探针进行组织表征，但仍然很难在胎儿海马体中检测到精细结构。综上所述，1)我们研制了一种可以实时观察胎儿运动的装置，发现妊娠早期的胎儿GM与新生儿的GM相似。3)胎脑的精细组织定征仍是一个有待解决的问题。

The Volume-mode is a useful method to model three-dimensional ultrasound image, which is a relatively new modality with several potent advantages over conventional two-dimensional one, because it is based on accurate positional information. However, as this method requires long time to examine, it has been difficult to get real-time image. In this investigation, we developed the high-speed scanning probe and observed the fetal real-time movement.The General Movement (GM), whose elegance and continuity is known to reflect central nervous system function in neonates, can be observed since 8-9 weeks of gestation in human fetuses. Hepper et al. reported that abnormal GM relates miscarriage in the first trimester. Visser et al. reported that fetal GM is similar to those of neonates. However, these observations were done using B-mode scan, thus it has been impossible to evaluate quantitatively.We adopted this high-speed scanning probe to observe fetal GM and investigate on the relationship among the movements in each limbs. As a result, we found significant similarity between fetal GM and that of neonates in the relationship among the movements in each limbs. Although it was also expected to enable tissue characterization using this probe, it is still hard to detect fine structures in fetal hippocampus. It seemed to be required further technical improvement especially in hardware.In summary, 1) we developed a new device which can observe fetal real-time movement, and found that 2) fetal GM in the first trimester is similar to that of neonates. 3) Fine tissue characterization in fetal brain is remained as a further assignment to be addressed.