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Expected Peak Velocity of Systolic Blood Flow in
the Middle Cerebral Artery (MCA) as a Function of Gestational Age

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Gestational age   weeks      days
Observed  MCA peak sytolic velocity     cm/sec

  

Calculations
The Median Peak Systolic Velocity for this age is  
Your measurement is  Multiples of Median

 The risk of anemia is highest in fetuses with a pre-transfusion peak systolic velocity of 1.5 times the median or higher.


Formula: MCA-PSV= e (2.31 + 0.046 GA), where MCA-PSV is the peak systolic velocity in the middle cerebral artery and GA is gestational age 


In fetuses with anemia the MCA PSV appears to increase above the normal range because of decreased blood viscosity and increased cardiac output associated with the anemia. Single measurements of the MCA PSV blood flow have been found to predict the presence of moderate or severe anemia in fetuses with a sensitivity of 100 percent and a false positive rate of 12 percent with the number of false positive results increased after 35 weeks gestation. Reference ranges of singletons are suitable to assess fetal anemia in monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies between 18 and 37 weeks of gestation.

The MCA PSV may used to evaluate anemia in fetuses affected by red blood cell alloimmunization, twin to twin transfusion, twin anemia-polycythemia sequence, alpha-thalassemia, parvovirus , fetomaternal hemorrhage ,  G6PD deficiency, placental chorioangioma, and other suspected causes of fetal anemia.

It is important that the gestational age be accurately determined since the middle cerebral artery (MCA) peak systolic velocity (PSV) naturally increases with gestational age.

Technique

  • The fetus should be at rest with no movements or breathing
  • Obtain an axial section of the fetal head . Image the Circle of Willis using color Doppler  (Image A)
  • Visualize the entire length of the MCA and enlarge the area of the MCA so that it occupies 50% or more of the screen (Image B).
  • Superimpose the sample volume (1 mm) on the MCA 2 mm after its origin from the internal carotid artery
  • The ultrasound beam should be parallel to the direction of blood flow . The angle between the ultrasound beam and direction of blood flow should be  zero degrees.
  • The highest peak systolic velocity is measured.
  • The measurement is taken at least 3 times 

     


  • By Mark Curran, MD FACOG Updated 4/20/2021

     REFERENCES

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