Friday, January 15, 2010
Free floating particles in amniotic fluid- an ultrasound video
This ultrasound video clip shows multiple particles/ particulate debris floating within the amniotic fluid in a kind of Brownian motion. This was a 3rd trimester pregnancy and free floating particles are a common finding in this phase of gestation. They are said to be result of shedding of vernix caseosa from the surface of the fetal skin. Recent research suggests that presence of free particles in the liqor amnii is a good sign of fetal lung maturity.
More ominous causes of particulate matter in the amniotic fluid include hemorrhage into the liqor.
Reference: 1) http://www.ajronline.org/cgi/reprint/176/3/607.pdf (free article)
2) http://www.jultrasoundmed.org/cgi/content/abstract/2/3/107
3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7506913
For more articles and ultrasound images of liqor / amniotic fluid pathology visit:
http://www.ultrasound-images.com/amniotic-fluid.htm
Have a look at another sonographic video showing these particles dancing in the amniotic fluid:
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Ram et al .Role of Echogenic Amniotic Fluid Particles and Optical Density in
prediction of Respiratory Distress Syndrome and Labor.Internet Journal of Medical Update 2010 January;5(1):3-11