Clinical value of prenatal ultrasound in diagnosis and classification of common arterial trunk

Objectives: To investigate the clinical value of prenatal ultrasound in the diagnosis of the common arterial trunk (CAT) classification and associated malformations.

Materials and methods: The 2D ultrasound images, spatiotemporal image correlations (STICs) and clinical data of 88 fetuses diagnosed with CAT malformations by prenatal ultrasound were retrospectively analyzed and classified. The correlation between different types, fetal malformation and pregnancy outcomes were analyzed.

Results: Among the 88 fetuses, there were 39 cases (44.32%) of type A1, 40 cases (45.45%) of type A2, 8 cases (9.09%) of type A3, and 1 case of type A4 (1.14%). There were 16 cases (18.18%) with isolated CAT, 48 cases (54.55%) with complex intra-cardiac structural abnormalities, and 24 cases (27.27%) with intra-cardiac and extra-cardiac structural abnormalities. In extra-cardiac structural malformations, 14 cases were associated with 1 other system abnormality, 4 cases with 2 other system abnormalities, 3 cases with 3 other system abnormalities, while 3 cases were combined with 4 other system abnormalities, among which the facial and physical abnormalities had the highest incidence (39.13%). The STIC images were completely displayed in all 88 cases. There was a statistical difference between isolated CAT and CAT combined with other abnormalities in fetal pregnancy outcomes.

Conclusions: Prenatal ultrasound had a high clinical application value in CAT classification. Pregnancy outcomes were highly correlated with the classification and associated intra-cardiac and extra-cardiac structural malformations. The early evaluation of fetal prognosis before birth has important value for clinical intervention.