Ultrasonic estimation of weight in the very low-birth weight fetus: a resident versus staff physician comparison.

The estimation of weight in the very low-birth weight fetus (less than 1500 gm) is becoming more important in obstetric management as neonatal nurseries are reporting better outcome in this weight category. It has become clear that assessment of weight can best be accomplished through the use of ultrasound. In many institutions, however, ultrasonography is under the control of other departments and is not readily available. This arrangement prevents rapid access and compromises the benefit of the technique. To evaluate the accuracy of scans performed in very low-birth weight infants by personnel with limited training in ultrasonography, we undertook a systematic study of weight estimates in this select group of patients. To date, 31 ultrasound examinations have been performed by staff physicians and 50 by resident physicians. Comparisons made between ultrasound examinations by staff and resident physicians showed that the absolute error between the ultrasound-predicted weight and the actual weight, though less in the case of staff physician examinations, was not statistically significant.