Use of the mitral valve-tricuspid valve distance as a marker of fetal endocardial cushion defects.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to compare the mitral valve-tricuspid valve distance in second-trimester fetuses with normal cardiac anatomy versus those fetuses with endocardial cushion defects.


METHODS
We identified fetuses between 16 and 24 weeks of gestation. The distance between the insertions of the medial leaflets of the mitral and tricuspid valves were obtained. Linear regression curves were generated.


RESULTS
The mean mitral valve-tricuspid valve distance for 86 fetuses with normal cardiac anatomy was 2.02 mm, compared with 0.37 mm in 13 fetuses with endocardial cushion defects ( P = .0001). Linear regression curve correlating mitral valve-tricuspid valve distance with gestational age showed a gradual slope (R 2 = 0.28; P < .0001). With a mitral valve-tricuspid valve distance < 5th percentile as a marker for the diagnosis of endocardial cushion defect gave a sensitivity of 69.2%, a specificity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 100%, a negative predictive value of 95.6%, and a false-positive rate of 0% ( P = .0001).


CONCLUSIONS
The mitral valve-tricuspid valve distance is useful clinically in the detection of endocardial cushion defects in second-trimester fetuses.
Bolnick
Alan D
AD
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.
Zelop
Carolyn M
CM
Milewski
Beth
B
Gianferrari
Elisa A
EA
Borgida
Adam F
AF
Egan
James F X
JF
D004694:Endocardial Cushion Defects / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014261:Tricuspid Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal