What Types of Neonatal Disorders Can Be Diagnosed with Doppler Flow Studies?
Several neonatal disorders can be diagnosed or monitored using Doppler flow studies, including:
1. Fetal Growth Restriction (FGR): By assessing the blood flow in the umbilical artery, middle cerebral artery, and ductus venosus, Doppler studies can help identify cases of FGR, where the fetus is not growing at the expected rate. 2. Congenital Heart Defects: Doppler flow studies can detect structural abnormalities in the heart and major blood vessels, such as ventricular septal defects or transposition of the great arteries. 3. Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE): These studies can evaluate cerebral blood flow to identify potential brain injury due to oxygen deprivation. 4. Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN): Doppler studies assess pulmonary artery pressure and flow to diagnose and manage PPHN. 5. Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS): In multiple pregnancies, Doppler studies help monitor blood flow imbalances between twins sharing a placenta.
