ArticlePediatric research2026
Two-dimensional ultrasound shear wave elastography: an effective method for assessing fetal rabbit lung maturity.
Article in Pediatric research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundTo investigate the correlation of fetal lung maturity (FLM) and its stiffness obtained by two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) in rabbits.
methodsIn 50 fetal rabbits (23-30 days gestation), lung and liver elasticity were measured by 2D-SWE. After cesarean section, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) concentration in alveolar lavage fluid and lung interstitial ratio were assessed. Partial correlation analysis was then performed to examine the correlation of fetal lung elasticity/lung-to-liver elasticity (LLE) ratio with DPPC content and with interstitial ratio, respectively.
resultsFetal lung and liver 2D-SWE measurements showed good consistency. Fetal lung elasticity and LLE ratio were strongly negatively correlated with DPPC (r = -0.866 [95% CI -0.928, -0.757] and -0.840 [-0.914, -0.714], P < 0.001) and slightly reduced after controlling for interstitial ratio (r = -0.727 [-0.848, -0.534] and -0.672 [-0.815, -0.453], P < 0.001). Conversely, strong positive correlations with the interstitial ratio (r = 0.757 [0.580, 0.865] and 0.763 [0.590, 0.869], P < 0.001) decreased to moderate levels after adjusting for DPPC (r = 0.446 [0.151, 0.667] and 0.471 [0.183, 0.685], P < 0.01).
conclusion2D-SWE may serve as a useful non-invasive tool for predicting FLM in rabbits, providing a basis for further studies on human FLM. IMPACT: Key Message: Two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2-DSWE) correlates strongly with surfactant content in fetal lungs, offering a potential non-invasive biomarker of functional lung maturity to address the clinical need for predicting neonatal respiratory readiness. Novelty: We provide the first quantitative evidence that 2D-SWE values reflect biochemical (surfactant) more closely than structural maturation, redefining its role in perinatal assessment. Significance & Impact: 2D-SWE may serve as a novel, non-invasive ultrasound modality for assessing fetal lung maturity. These preclinical findings suggest that it might potentially aid in RDS risk assessment, potentially laying a certain foundation for future clinical research.
Identifiers
42304119What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.