Intracardiac Echogenic Foci Have No Hemodynamic Significance in the Fetus

Intracardiac echogenic foci (ECFs), probably representing microcalcifications of the papillary muscles, are a common finding in fetal ultrasonic screening examinations. Their significance is unclear, and their value as markers for chromosomal anomalies is debatable. It also is unknown whether ECFs p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pediatric cardiology 2010, Vol.31 (1), p.7-10
Main Authors: Perles, Zeev, Nir, Amiram, Gavri, Sagui, Golender, Julius, Rein, Azaria J. J. T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cardiac Surgery
Cardiology
Demographic aspects
Female
Fetal heart
Fetal Heart - diagnostic imaging
Fetal Heart - pathology
Gestational Age
Heart function tests
Hemodynamics
Humans
Medical examination
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Original Article
Pregnancy
Prospective Studies
Ultrasonography, Prenatal
Vascular Surgery
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Summary:Intracardiac echogenic foci (ECFs), probably representing microcalcifications of the papillary muscles, are a common finding in fetal ultrasonic screening examinations. Their significance is unclear, and their value as markers for chromosomal anomalies is debatable. It also is unknown whether ECFs predict abnormal cardiac performance. This prospective study analyzed and compared the systolic and diastolic properties of the heart in 28 fetuses with ECFs and 70 fetuses without ECFs using both conventional and novel myocardial deformation methods. The findings suggest that left-sided ECFs do not predict depressed left- or right-side systolic or diastolic properties in the fetus. A longitudinal study that would follow ECF fetuses into their childhood is warranted to confirm the findings of this study.
ISSN:0172-0643
1432-1971
DOI:10.1007/s00246-009-9524-0