Intracardiac echogenic focus: no apparent association with structural cardiac abnormality.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to evaluate whether intracardiac echogenic foci (ICEFs) may be associated with increased risk for structural cardiac anomalies in the low-risk population.


METHODS
During a 24-month period, 3,744 low-risk patients were prospectively screened for ICEFs by prenatal sonography. The study group was composed of 138 fetuses (3.7%) with ICEF. The control group was composed of 167 fetuses without ICEF. In all fetuses a complete echocardiographic evaluation was performed.


RESULTS
Among the 138 fetuses in the study group, 108 (78%) ICEFs were found in the left ventricle, 25 (18%) were found in the right ventricle, and 5 (4%) were found to be bilateral. No statistically significant difference was found between the study and the control group regarding the presence of cardiac anomalies. Only 1 case (0.7%) of pulmonic stenosis was found in the study group, compared to 1 case (0.6%) of bicuspid aortic valve in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that ICEFs found in low-risk patients are not associated with a significant increase in the risk of cardiac anomalies.
Wolman
I
I
Ultrasonography Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Jaffa
A
A
Geva
E
E
Diamant
S
S
Strauss
S
S
Lessing
J B
JB
Yaron
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D004200:Diseases in Twins; D005260:Female; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology; D006801:Humans; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011666:Pulmonary Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal