Cervical Strain Values Measured by Ultrasonographic
Elastography in Pregnant Women between
18 and 40 Weeks’ Gestation
Patcharaporn Wongsaroj MD*,
Sakita Moungmaithong MD*
Affiliation :
* Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital,
Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Objective : To evaluate the reproducibility, examine the cervical tissue strain using sonographic elastography, and investigate
the factors affecting the cervical tissue strain in pregnant women.
Material and Method: A cross-sectional study of 116 pregnant women at 18 to 40 weeks of gestation between September
1, 2014 and January 31, 2015 was done. Transvaginal manual compression elastographic examinations of the uterine
cervices were performed in three planes, one mid-sagittal, and two cross-sectional planes at the level of internal os and
external os. The intra-observer and inter-observer reliabilities were evaluated. The mean cervical strain values in the seven
gestational age groups and four cervical length group were examined. Finally, the associations between cervical strain
values and maternal age, maternal BMI, parity, gestational age, and cervical length were investigated.
Results : Intra-observer and inter-observer reliabilities were highest at proximal portion of anterior lip in sagittal plane and
endocervical canal of internal os in cross-sectional plane. Cervical length had moderate negative correlation with gestational
age and cervical strain values while cervical strain values had moderate positive correlation with gestational age.
Conclusion : Cervical elastography has good intra-observer and inter-observer reliabilities. The cervical strain values at
proximal portion of anterior lip in sagittal plane and endocervical canal of internal os in cross-sectional plane have positive
correlation with gestational age and negative correlation with cervical length.
Keywords : Cervical elastography, Cervical strain, Cervical length
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