title: Evaluation of tissue Doppler-derived myocardial performance index in fetuses with intracardiac echogenic focus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare cardiac function between fetuses with and without intracardiac echogenic foci (IEFs) by conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler (TD) imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fetuses having IEF and no additional cardiac or extracardiac anomaly between 20 and 28 weeks (median 22 weeks) of gestation (n = 61) were compared with healthy fetuses between 18 and 29 weeks (median 23 weeks) of gestation (n = 55). Pulmonary artery and aortic peak velocities, atrioventricular (AV) early diastole (E) and atrial contraction (A) velocities and E/A ratios were measured. TD-derived myocardial performance index (MPI) was also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tricuspid valve E/A ratios, which were 0.634 ± 0.07 versus 0.639 ± 0.06 (p = 0.697), mitral valve E/A ratios, which were 0.604 ± 0.08 versus 0.612 ± 0.07 (p = 0.600), aorta peak velocities, which were 0.709 ± 0.11 versus 0.697 ± 0.11 (p = 0.592) and pulmonary artery peak velocities, which were 0.699 ± 0.12 versus 0.694 ± 0.11 (p = 0.800) in the study and the control groups, respectively. TD-derived measurements in the study and control groups included tricuspid valve MPI, which were 0.452 ± 0.08 versus 0.473 ± 0.09 (p = 0.221) and mitral valve MPI values, which were 0.444 ± 0.1 versus 0.445 ± 0.09 (p = 0.965), respectively, and this difference was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An isolated IEF is not associated with abnormal cardiac function. We suggest that the presence of an isolated IEF should not be an indication for fetal cardiac function examination either with conventional Doppler or TD imaging techniques, unless there is a coexisting cardiac or extracardiac anomaly.
authors.affiliation: MH Aegean Maternity, Teaching and Training Hospital .
authors.forename: Seçil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurtulmuş
authors.forename: Timur
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meşe
authors.forename: Cüneyt Eftal
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Taner
authors.forename: Deniz Can
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Öztekin
authors.forename: Duygu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Okyay
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uysal
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Uysal
authors.forename: Başak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cıngıllıoğlu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005333:Fetus / Q000098:blood supply; D005865:Gestational Age; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000502:physiology; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult