Detection of Changes in Cervical Softness Using Shear Wave Speed in Early versus Late Pregnancy: An in Vivo Cross-Sectional Study

Publication date: Available online 12 December 2017
Source:Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology
Author(s): Lindsey C. Carlson, Timothy J. Hall, Ivan M. Rosado-Mendez, Mark L. Palmeri, Helen Feltovich
The aim of this study was to assess the ability of shear wave elasticity imaging (SWEI) to detect changes in cervical softness between early and late pregnancy. Using a cross-sectional study design, shear wave speed (SWS) measurements were obtained from women in the first trimester (5–14 wk of gestation) and compared with estimates from a previous study of women at term (37–41 wk). Two sets of five SWS measurements were made using commercial SWEI applications on an ultrasound system equipped with a prototype catheter transducer (128 elements, 3-mm diameter, 14-mm aperture). Average SWS estimates were 4.42 ± 0.32 m/s (n = 12) for the first trimester and 2.13 ± 0.66 m/s (n = 18) for the third trimester (p < 0.0001). The area under the curve was 0.95 (95% confidence interval: 0.82–0.99) with a sensitivity and specificity of 83%. SWS estimates indicated that the third-trimester cervix is significantly softer than the first-trimester cervix. SWEI methods may be promising for assessing changes in cervical softness.



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