title: Role of ultrasonography in early gestation in the diagnosis of congenital heart defects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this series was to determine the sensitivity of ultrasonography in early gestation (UEG) using nuchal translucency (NT) and the 4-chamber view (4CV) in the early diagnosis of congenital heart defects (CHDs).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective chart review of all patients presenting for UEG between 2002 and 2009. At our center, a survey of fetal anatomy is performed at the time of the NT assessment at 11 weeks to 13 weeks 6 days. A second-trimester scan (STS) is done at 20 to 23 weeks and a third-trimester scan at 32 to 35 weeks. Suspected cases of CHDs were evaluated by a pediatric cardiologist. All neonates were examined at birth by a pediatrician, and when clinically indicated, fetal echocardiography was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1370 fetuses were scanned. Congenital heart defects were identified in 8 (0.6%). Nuchal translucency was above the 95th percentile for gestational age (GA) in 6 of 8, and the 4CV was abnormal in 6 of 8. Ultrasonography in early gestation detected 75% fetuses with CHDs, and 25% were detected by an STS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study emphasizes the importance of UEG in the detection of CHDs. In this small unselected low-risk population, UEG detected 75% of CHDs. Nuchal translucency was above the 95th percentile for GA, the 4CV was abnormal, or both in all 8 cases with CHDs.
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Fetal Care, Najah Center, Tripoli, Lebanon. raburustum@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Reem S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Abu-Rustum
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Daou
authors.forename: Sameer E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Abu-Rustum
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*