Application and Progress of Artificial Intelligence in Fetal Ultrasound

Abstract

Prenatal ultrasonography is the most crucial imaging modality during pregnancy. However, problems such as high fetal mobility, excessive maternal abdominal wall thickness, and inter-observer variability limit the development of traditional ultrasound in clinical applications. The combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and obstetric ultrasound may help optimize fetal ultrasound examination by shortening the examination time, reducing the physician’s workload, and improving diagnostic accuracy. AI has been successfully applied to automatic fetal ultrasound standard plane detection, biometric parameter measurement, and disease diagnosis to facilitate conventional imaging approaches. In this review, we attempt to thoroughly review the applications and advantages of AI in prenatal fetal ultrasound and discuss the challenges and promises of this new field.