title: Cardiac biometry and function in euploid fetuses with intracardiac echogenic foci.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare cardiac biometry and function between fetuses with and without intracardiac echogenic foci (ICEF).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and fifty-two fetuses with ICEF were compared with 104 controls. Diastolic ventricular transverse diameters, systolic aortic and pulmonary diameters and interventricular septum were measured. Doppler measurements included pulmonary artery and aortic maximum systolic velocities, time to peak, velocity time integral and atrioventricular E/A ratios.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only A wave in the mitral valve was slightly but significantly higher in the ICEF group (0.45 ± 0.07 m/s vs 0.43 ± 0.08 m/s, p = 0.03), but mitral E/A ratio was similar in both groups (0.61 ± 0.06 vs 0.60 ± 0.07, p = 0.22). There were no statistically significant differences in the rest of the studied variables between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fetuses with ICEF do not have relevant abnormalities in either cardiac biometry or function. We suggest the presence of an isolated ICEF should not be an indication for fetal echocardiography as long as fetal morphology scan had been performed and revealed no other findings.
authors.affiliation: Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, University Hospital Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain.
authors.forename: María C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Facio
authors.forename: Blas
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hervías-Vivancos
authors.forename: José Román
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Broullón
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Avila
authors.forename: María A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fajardo-Expósito
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bartha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001699:Biometry; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal