Are color and pulsed Doppler sonography safe in early pregnancy?
-
Asim Kurjak
Abstract
Diagnostic ultrasound has been used for many years with a remarkable history of safety during the standard clinical practice. Introduction of color and pulsed Doppler modes resulted with higher levels of transmitted and absorbed ultrasonic energy. This fact raised the question for the safety of its use in early pregnancy. This article presents the pros and contras regarding the safety and summarized actual guidelines and safety limits suggested and prescribed by several instances that supervise the use of ultrasound in medicine (WFUMB, ECMUS, ECURS, AIUM/NEMA). In addition, different clinical and experimental applications of Doppler ultrasound in early pregnancy are discussed regarding the safety limits. Generally, there are no strictly defined limits for the use of Doppler ultrasound in the early pregnancy. However, there is an unequivocal demand for carefulness that is best expressed by the ALARA principle. The prudent use of Doppler takes into account benefits against the possible theoretical risks, rather than prohibiting clinically useful technology or applications.
Copyright (c)1999 by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG
Articles in the same Issue
- Contents
- Author Index
- Subject Index
- Birth of St. Mary (St. Anne’s parturition) in the light of messages from medical education: Three examples from Croatian sacral heritage
- Are color and pulsed Doppler sonography safe in early pregnancy?
- European Community Multi-Center Trial “Fetal ECG Analysis During Labor”: ST plus CTG analysis
- Prenatal and perinatal risk factors for autism
- Rupture of membranes before 26 weeks of gestation: Outcome of 148 consecutive cases
- Coagulation and fibrinolysis in viable mid-trimester pregnancies of normal, intrauterine growth retardation, chromosomal anomalies and hydrops fetalis and their eventual obstetric outcome
- Determinants of energy expenditure in ventilated preterm infants
- Perinatal outcome and management of single fetal death in twin pregnancy: A case series and review
- Comparison between creatine kinase brain isoenzyme (CKBB) activity and Sarnat score for prediction of adverse outcome following perinatal asphyxia
- Neonatal outcome in small for gestational age infants: Do they really better?
- Chronic lung disease and survival in 4 tertiary neonatal units
- Follow-up studies of newborn-babies with congenital ventriculomegaly
Articles in the same Issue
- Contents
- Author Index
- Subject Index
- Birth of St. Mary (St. Anne’s parturition) in the light of messages from medical education: Three examples from Croatian sacral heritage
- Are color and pulsed Doppler sonography safe in early pregnancy?
- European Community Multi-Center Trial “Fetal ECG Analysis During Labor”: ST plus CTG analysis
- Prenatal and perinatal risk factors for autism
- Rupture of membranes before 26 weeks of gestation: Outcome of 148 consecutive cases
- Coagulation and fibrinolysis in viable mid-trimester pregnancies of normal, intrauterine growth retardation, chromosomal anomalies and hydrops fetalis and their eventual obstetric outcome
- Determinants of energy expenditure in ventilated preterm infants
- Perinatal outcome and management of single fetal death in twin pregnancy: A case series and review
- Comparison between creatine kinase brain isoenzyme (CKBB) activity and Sarnat score for prediction of adverse outcome following perinatal asphyxia
- Neonatal outcome in small for gestational age infants: Do they really better?
- Chronic lung disease and survival in 4 tertiary neonatal units
- Follow-up studies of newborn-babies with congenital ventriculomegaly
