Artificial Intelligence in Obstetric Anomaly Scan: Heart and Brain

Abstract

Background: The ultrasound scan represents the first tool that obstetricians use in fetal evaluation, but sometimes, it can be limited by mobility or fetal position, excessive thickness of the maternal abdominal wall, or the presence of post-surgical scars on the maternal abdominal wall. Artificial intelligence (AI) has already been effectively used to measure biometric parameters, automatically recognize standard planes of fetal ultrasound evaluation, and for disease diagnosis, which helps conventional imaging methods. The usage of information, ultrasound scan images, and a machine learning program create an algorithm capable of assisting healthcare providers by reducing the workload, reducing the duration of the examination, and increasing the correct diagnosis capability. The recent remarkable expansion in the use of electronic medical records and diagnostic imaging coincides with the enormous success of machine learning algorithms in image identification tasks.

Objectives: We aim to review the most relevant studies based on deep learning in ultrasound anomaly scan evaluation of the most complex fetal systems (heart and brain), which enclose the most frequent anomalies.

Keywords: anomaly scan; artificial intelligence; deep learning; fetal brain; fetal heart; pregnancy; ultrasound.

Figure 1

Flow diagram of the method for study selection.

Figure 2

A diagram illustrating the working methods.

Figure 3

AI studies regarding fetal heart structures.

Figure 4

AI studies regarding central nervous system anatomy.

Figure 5

AI studies regarding fetal heart rhythm interpretation.

Figure 6

AI studies regarding fetal biometry parameters and nuchal translucency estimations.