2025 Volume 13 Issue 2 Pages 39-45
Aim: To evaluate the utility of a three-dimensional (3D) labor simulation technique based on low-dose computed tomography.
Methods: We obtained computed tomography data for an expectant mother who required pelvimetry to diagnose cephalopelvic disproportion at 36 weeks’ gestation. Using low-dose computed tomography data, 3D models of the maternal pelvis and the fetal head were created, based on which simulations to predict labor progression were performed. The patient provided informed consent for the use of her data for research purposes.
Results: Our low-dose computed tomography protocol has been demonstrated to result in lower radiation exposure (0.17 mGy) than conventional X-ray pelvimetry (0.50–1.18 mGy). Computed tomography images clearly visualized the pelvic and fetal head dimensions. The 3D cephalopelvic model effectively demonstrated the spatial relationship between the fetal head and the maternal pelvis, allowing for a comprehensive assessment that could simulate labor progression.
Conclusions: This novel 3D simulation system based on low-dose computed tomography not only offers a minimally invasive and informative means to predict labor progression but also provides a visual and tactile method for assessing fetal progression through the birth canal, potentially improving the accuracy of prediction of cephalopelvic disproportion. Further large-scale studies will be necessary to validate the clinical efficacy and safety of this 3D simulation system.
