Real-time three-dimensional color Doppler fetal echocardiographic features of congenital heart disease.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this report is to describe the real-time three-dimensional (3D) color Doppler fetal echocardiographic findings of congenital heart diseases. Two cases of fetal congenital heart disease were diagnosed antenatally by conventional two-dimensional fetal echocardiography and real-time 3D color Doppler fetal echocardiography. Conventional two-dimensional (2D) fetal echocardiography showed a hypoplastic left heart in one case, and a double-outlet right ventricle in the second case. Real-time 3D fetal echocardiography with instantaneous volume-rendered displays showed surgeon's eye views of intracardiac abnormal cardiac structures of the beating heart in both cases. Real-time 3D color Doppler fetal echocardiography depicted a subtle tricuspid regurgitant jet in hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and great arteries, left from the right ventricle, in parallel in a double-outlet right ventricle. Real-time 3D color Doppler fetal echocardiography may assist in the evaluation of fetal cardiac anatomy and hemodynamics, and offer the potential advantages relative to conventional 2D fetal echocardiography and Doppler flow mapping.