Upcoming

Assessing the Effectiveness of Cerebroplacental Ratio Measurement for Monitoring Post-Dates Pregnancies: A Pilot Study

Funding: Women’s Health Research Institute Catalyst Grant

Principal Investigator: Yasser Sabr

Co-Investigators: Sarka Lisonkova, Michelle Rougerie

PRIME Equipment Used: GE Voluson E10 BT 21

Recruitment Target: 100 participants

Post-dates pregnancies, defined as those that extend beyond 40 weeks of gestation, occur in approximately 10% of all pregnancies. These cases carry increased risks of complications for both the mother and fetus. Current fetal monitoring methods, including non-stress tests (NST) and amniotic fluid index (AFI), may not always provide sufficient information to predict adverse outcomes. The cerebroplacental ratio (CPR), derived from Doppler ultrasound measurements of fetal blood flow, is a promising tool that could enhance the assessment of fetal well-being. This pilot study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of CPR in predicting adverse outcomes in post-dates pregnancies and determine its utility as a routine monitoring tool in clinical practice.

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In Progress

Placenta, FEtal Brain BLood flow, and Substance Use ExposureS (PEBBLES)

Funding: 2023 Perinatal Research Imaging and Evaluation (PRIME) Centre Research Award

Principal Investigator: Charissa Patricelli

Co-Investigators: Tim Oberlander, Amanda Easton, Robert Rohling, Kenneth I. Lim, Jeff Bone, Wendy Robinson

PRIME Equipment Used: GE Voluson E10 BT 21

Recruitment Target: 14 participants

Canada continues to face a growing opioid epidemic, and women and birthing persons are able to access opioid agonist therapy (OAT), such as methadone, buprenorphine, and slow-release oral morphine at higher rates. The goal of this pilot feasibility study is to gather preliminary data to learn more about opioid agonist therapy (OAT) and pregnancy, including a pregnant person’s placenta and baby.

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A Pilot Clinic: Early Anatomy Ultrasound for Patients with High BMI (QIQA Project)

Principal Investigator: Chantal Mayer

Co-Investigators: Dr.  Chritina Nowik, Sarah Coad

PRIME Equipment Used: GE Voluson E10 BT 21

Recruitment Target: 100 participants

Pregnant people with elevated body mass index (BMI) are at increased risk for fetal anomalies while obesity is also associated with decreased likelihood of completing the routine fetal anatomic details due to limited windows. This can lead to requiring multiple ultrasounds examination to complete anatomical screening, which is time and resource consuming and may lead to significant patient anxiety .While there are currently no additional ultrasound examination resources available at BC Women’s Hospital to offer this service widely, a pilot clinic is proposed. The main objective of the pilot project is to provide this service to a selected population while assessing the feasibility and acceptability of offering early anatomic assessment for these indications at this site.

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Optically Tracked 2D Ultrasound System for Guiding Treatment of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip

Funding: NSERC

Principal Investigator: Antony Hodgson

Co-Investigators: Kexin Katie Chen, Maria Jose Bonta Suarez, Jakub Piwowarczyk, Anthony Cooper, Emily Schaeffer

PRIME Equipment Used: 4D Ultrasonix probe

Recruitment Target: 50 participants

Babies born in the breech position are at higher risk for a condition called Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH), where the hip joint does not form properly. To catch this early, clinicians use ultrasound imaging. However, the standard 2D ultrasound scans are often unreliable because even small differences in how the probe is held can change diagnostic results. When DDH is not diagnosed and treated early, children can develop serious problems with walking and may eventually require surgery.

While 3D ultrasound systems provide more reliable measurements, they are costly and not widely available. To address this, this study developed a new Tracked Ultrasound System (TUS) that mounts a camera on existing 2D ultrasound probes; TUS allows us to build 3D ultrasound volumes from location-tagged 2D scans. This study will assess the feasibility of TUS in a clinical setting and validate its performance on real patient data. The aim is to develop and validate a more affordable and accessible option for reliable diagnosis, potentially leading to earlier treatment and better outcomes for children with DDH.

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RapidOmics 2.0: Long-read genome sequencing for urgent genetic disease diagnosis

Funding: BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, BC Women’s Health Foundation, Genome BC, Genome Canada

Principal Investigators: Jan M. Friedman and Craig Ivany

Co-Investigators: Allison Elliott, Larry Lynd, Steven Jones, William Gibson, Colleen Guimond

PRIME Space Used: Consent room

Recruitment Target: 100 families

This study explores the utility of long-read genome sequencing (rLRS) for diagnosing serious genetic disorders in pregnancies and infants. Recruitment is open with a goal of 100 participants. To compare rLRS with the current standard of rapid short-read trio exome sequencing, focusing on diagnostic accuracy, limitations, and cost-effectiveness to improve patient outcomes.

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Completed

Stillbirth Risk Identification Using Multiparametric Ultrasound (STIMULUS)

Funding: STIMULUS is one of a team of global performers who were selected for the Welcome Leap In Utero Program

Principal Investigator: Robert Rohling

Co-Investigators: Farah Deeba, Chantal Mayer, Jefferson Terry, Jennifer Hutcheon, Denise Pugash

PRIME Equipment Used: GE Voluson E10 BT 21

Recruitment Target: 249 participants

Every year, approximately two million babies die in utero. Stillbirths have long-lasting personal and psychological consequences for parents, as well as substantial costs for wider society. Many of these deaths (between 25% and 60%) are classified as unexplained.

STIMULUS aims to reduce stillbirth rates by capturing more detailed ultrasound information from the mother, fetus, and placenta. Researchers will use this information to better understand the quality of fetal and placental tissue and differentiate between healthy pregnancies and pregnancies that may have underlying complications, including stillbirth.

All participants are recruited through the South Community Birth Program and clinics at BC Women’s Hospital. Participants are asked to complete a maximum of three ultrasounds throughout their pregnancy. All ultrasounds take place at the PRIME Centre.

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Pilot Project to assess the reliability of transabdominal cervical length measurement to screen for short cervix in a Canadian Cohort

Funding: BCCHR Catalyst Grant

Principal Investigator: Christina Nowik

Co-Investigators: Amanda Easton, Chantal Mayer, Kenneth I. Lim, Jennifer Hutcheon

PRIME Equipment Used:

• GE Voluson E10 BT 16
• Intelligent Ultrasound ScanTrainer

Recruitment Target: 180 participants (for the second phase of study)

This study comprises of two phases. PRIME Centre was used to complete the first quality assurance phase to ensure inter-rater reliability of cervical assessment.

This study aims to assess the potential to use transabdominal ultrasound to provide standardized, universal cervical length screening. To achieve this, transabdominal cervical length measurement is compared with gold standard endovaginal ultrasound measurement in high-risk patients already booked for endovaginal cervical length assessment. If transabdominal ultrasound demonstrates reasonable sensitivity for short cervix, as assessed by endovaginal ultrasound, the research team can pursue a larger study to establish universal cervical length screening with transabdominal ultrasound, which is more accessible and cost-effective.

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