[Accuracy of prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart defects by fetal echocardiography: a 7-year experience in a Chinese tertiary obstetric center].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prenatal diagnostic accuracy of fetal echocardiography for congenital heart defects.


METHODS
Fetal echocardiographic databases from 2001 to 2007 were searched for patients with a prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart defect, medical records were obtained and the prenatal echocardiographic findings were correlated with postnatal echocardiography results or autopsy findings, if the pregnancy was terminated or the fetus died in utero.


RESULTS
Prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart defects was made in 113 pregnancies at a mean gestational age of 26.8 weeks. Pathology or postnatal echocardiography was available in 79 cases (70%) and the accuracy of prenatal diagnosis was 86% (68/79). Prenatal diagnosis was accurate in 24 of 31 patients (77%) with conotruncal malformations, 26 of 27 patients (96%) with septal defects, 9 of 10 patients (90%) with valve abnormalities, and 5 of 6 patients (83%) with univentricular hearts. There were 4 false-positives and the positive predictive value was 95% (75/79).


CONCLUSIONS
Fetal echocardiography is a reliable tool for prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart defects despite limitations for correctly diagnosing some specific fetal heart defects.
Department of Ultrasound, International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200030, China.
Ruo-yan
RY
Zhu
Li-chan
LC
Li
Rui-yu
RY
Chen
Li-ye
LY
Shi
Jian-mei
JM
Niu
Xiao
X
Wang
Jin-jin
JJ
Wang
D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal