The Prevalence of Imaging Fetal Cardiac Anatomy

Abstract

One hundred thirty fetuses were consecutively scanned to determine the prevalence of normal fetal cardiac anatomy. Gestational ages ranged from 20-40 weeks. The four-chamber, five-chamber, and short-axis views were sought in each fetus. Gestational age and fetal spine position were also documented. The fetal spine position was described as spine up, down, left, or right. Gestational ages were categorized into four sonographic age groups; 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, and 35-40 weeks. The number and percentage of echocardiographic views visualized were then calculated for overall population and individual gestational groups in relation to fetal spine position. In the overall gestational group, the fourchamber view was visualized in 99% of the fetuses, whereas the five-chamber and short-axis views were imaged in 95% and 69%, respectively. A three-view average was also calculated for each gestational age group. The highest combined view average was obtained in the 30-34 week group (94%), whereas the lowest was in the 25-29 week gestations (78%). The three-view average was highest in the fetal spine down position (100%), and worst in the fetal spine up position (79%). Spine left demonstrated an 86% mean three-view visualization average, and fetal spine right had a 95% three-view average. These data should aid the fetal echocardiographer in determining what fetal cardiac anatomy can and cannot be seen given the fetal spine position and gestational age.