title: Decreased echogenicity of the embryo is correlated with absence of cardiac activity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the sonographic echogenicity of embryos is associated with cardiac activity in utero.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study reviewed a total of 164 embryos having a gestational age between 6 and 8 weeks. These embryos were examined by transvaginal ultrasonography and a comparison of their echogenicity was made with respect to those of the placenta and the myometrium. Grade II embryos were less echogenic than the placenta or had similar echogenicity with the myometrium, whereas grade I embryos shared the same echogenicity as the placenta. In contrast, grade III embryos were less echogenic than the myometrium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the embryos with cardiac activity were detected to have grade II echogenicity (78/130, 60.0%), whereas the remaining embryos had grade I echogenicity (52/130, 40.0%). In contrast, most of the embryos without cardiac activity had grade III echogenicity (20/34, 58.8%), whereas the remaining embryos had either grade II (8/34, 23.5%) or grade I (6/34, 17.7%) echogenicity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Decreased echogenicity of embryos on grayscale ultrasound in the early first trimester is correlated with an absence of cardiac activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ankara Atatürk Education and Research Hospital, 06800 Eskişehir Yolu 8.km No. 3 Bilkent, Ankara Turkey.
authors.forename: Sinan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ipek
authors.forename: Hüseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Levent Keskin
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karaoğlanoğlu
authors.forename: Saliha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ciraci
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oztürk
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D055815:Young Adult