Cardiac Anatomy
● INTRODUCTION In order to be able to accurately interpret fetal cardiac imaging by ultrasound, a full understanding of fetal cardiac anatomy is required (1, 2). The heart is a…
Fetal Arrhythmias
● INTRODUCTION The prenatal diagnosis of cardiac rhythm abnormalities has been made possible with advancements in ultrasound imaging. M-mode ultrasound, in addition to color and pulsed Doppler echocardiography, plays a…
Fetal Cardiomyopathies and Fetal Heart Tumors
● DILATED AND HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHIES Cardiomyopathies are diseases of the myocardium affecting the left, right, or both ventricles and are commonly associated with abnormal cardiac function. Myocardial changes associated with…
Color Doppler in Fetal Echocardiography
● INTRODUCTION Color and pulsed Doppler ultrasound was introduced to clinical practice about two decades ago, and its clinical application in fetal echocardiography was quickly accepted (1–8). Color and pulsed…
Fetal Situs
● INTRODUCTION The first step in the ultrasonographic evaluation of the fetus is the assessment of fetal visceral situs as some organs are arranged symmetrically and others, such as the…
The Great Vessels: Axial, Oblique, and Sagittal Views
● INTRODUCTION The visualization of the great vessels is currently part of the basic obstetric ultrasound examination, and thus a good understanding of the anatomic relationship of the great vessels…
Genetic Aspects of Congenital Heart Diseases
● INTRODUCTION Older literature suggested that genetic diseases contributed minimally to the origin of congenital heart disease (CHD), with the majority of defects thought to result from multifactorial causes. Current knowledge…
Optimization of the Two-Dimensional Grayscale Image in Fetal Cardiac Examination
● INTRODUCTION Despite the advent of sophisticated ultrasound devices and tools in the last several years, the basic examination of the fetal heart is still best performed with two-dimensional (2D)…
Congenital Heart Disease: Incidence,Risk Factors, and Prevention Strategies
● INCIDENCE OF CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) are the most common severe congenital abnormalities (1). Half of the CHD cases are, however, minor and are easily corrected…
Embryology of the Heart
● INTRODUCTION The spectrum of congenital cardiac anomalies presented in this book can be better understood if the reader has some basic knowledge on cardiac development. In the last 30…
