Thalamic Echogenicity Compared To Other Fetal Markers For Assessment of Fetal Lung Maturity

Background: Fetal lung maturity determination has always been one of the main pillars in the world of Obstetrics, as it has been essential to predict a safe delivery of the fetus while minimizing fetal morbidity and mortality resulting from lung immaturity and other indirect complications of NICU admissions. Thalamic echogenicity was observed initially to predict neonatal health conditions such as short term neurological poor outcome in early preterm infants. Thalamic echogenicity has been suggested before as a potential marker for lung maturity. If such test will be proven to be a reliable marker, this could provide more confident Obstetric decision when needed. Aim of the study: evaluation of the thalamic echogenicity as a fetal ultrasonographic marker for assessment of fetal lung maturity. Patients and Methods: In this observational study, one hundred pregnant female patients were recruited for delivery by cesarean route. Fetal Thalamic echogenicity along other markers were compared by means of sensitivity and specificity before delivery. Such comparison was done to demonstrate the relationship between each marker and the neonatal lung maturity state. Results: Thalamic echogenicity had the least sensitivity while demonstrating highest specificity. It had the highest Positive predictive value (PPV). Placental grading 3 had the highest negative predictive value (NPV) followed by Thalamic echogenicity. Although the AUC for Thalamic echogenicity was poor at 65.7% or 0.657, it still scored the highest value among the other five markers Conclusion: Thalamic echogenicity appears to be a promising non-invasive ultrasonographic marker for prediction of fetal lung maturity.