The assessment of fetal limb volume as a marker of nutritional status began
in the mid 1980’s using the two-dimensional ultrasound. However, with the advent of
three-dimensional ultrasound in the beginning of 1990s’ research into using the fetal
thigh and upper-arm volumes for predicting birth weight began. These studies suggested
that fetal limb volumes were more accurate than two-dimensional biometric parameters
in the prediction actual weight after delivery. Multiplanar or planimetric method was
first used to assess the whole fetal limb volume, including the volume around of
epiphysis, followed by use of the 3D extended imaging VOCAL technique. Reference
ranges for total fetal limb volume were established for specific populations. By the end
of 1990’s a new concept, the fractional limb volume, was introduced. This measurement
was limited to the volume of central region of fetal limb and assesses the region with
the great amount of soft tissue. It has been studied as a marker of intrauterine status
nutrition and used to detect early fetal growth disturbances. Continued research has
established the importance of fractional limb volume in predicting birth weight and its
usefulness in the evaluation of intrauterine development in the second half of
pregnancy.
Keywords: Extended imaging virtual organ computer-aided analysis, Fetal limb
volume, Fractional limb volume, Intrauterine growth disturbances, Intrauterine
status nutrition, Multiplanar, Prediction of birth, Thigh, Three-dimensional
ultrasound, Upper-arm, Virtual organ computer-aided analysis.