UPatch monitors fetal blood flow for up to 6 hours
A Nature Biotechnology study tested the abdomen-worn device against handheld ultrasound in 62 pregnancies and used continuous monitoring in 52 pregnant women.
Researchers have reported early clinical testing of UPatch, a wearable ultrasound patch designed for continuous fetal monitoring in high-risk pregnancies. The study was published May 26 in Nature Biotechnology.
UPatch can acquire fetal anatomical structures and blood-flow velocities, according to the study abstract. The device uses real-time image segmentation to track target vessels and collect continuous blood-flow spectra during fetal and maternal movement without a sonographer.
Accuracy testing included 62 pregnancies. The researchers reported good agreement between UPatch and a handheld clinical ultrasound device for fetal monitoring measurements.
Continuous monitoring data were collected from 52 pregnant women. The data aligned with stratified perinatal conditions, including healthy pregnancy, small for gestational age, large for gestational age, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and gestational hypertension.
Oxford’s summary of the study said continuous monitoring sessions lasted between 1 and 6 hours. In one preeclamptic pregnancy, the device detected severely abnormal blood-flow patterns that led to closer clinical monitoring and cesarean delivery 4 days later.
Stanford Medicine said the patch adheres to the maternal abdomen and connects by cable to a computer that interprets ultrasound data. The current research device is being further developed at Stanford Medicine, where the team plans additional validation.
The patch can image the 3 major blood vessels in the umbilical cord, including 2 arteries and 1 vein, according to Stanford Medicine. It can also measure blood flow through a major fetal artery and collect fetal anatomical measurements such as head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur length.
Researchers said further development could integrate the patch with miniaturized circuitry for wireless operation and greater mobility. Oxford noted that the technology remains at the research stage and is not yet approved for routine clinical use.
Sources
- Fetal monitoring for high-risk pregnancies using a wearable ultrasound patch. Peer-reviewed study
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Radiology Signal Staff covers developments across medical imaging, radiology AI, imaging informatics, clinical research, and radiology business. The team monitors primary sources, peer-reviewed studies, company announcements, society updates, and healthcare industry news to deliver concise reporting for imaging professionals.
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