The use of cardiac ultrasound imaging in first-trimester prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart diseases.

ABSTRACT

This study aims to explore ultrasound (US) cardiac and echocardiographic features that may enable the early diagnosis of various major congenital heart diseases (CHDs). Focusing on providing useful US tools for this assessment, high resolution of US cardiac images of various CHDs, such as hypoplastic left heart syndrome, conotruncal anomalies, and univentricular heart, were evaluated. Results show that early US detection of most major CHDs is feasible during first-trimester ultrasonography cardiac evaluation. Concerns about safety issues, findings on early fetal cardiovascular hemodynamics, and cardiac lesions that can progress during the course of pregnancy were also discussed.