Levi S, Cos-Sanchez T
Chef de Clinique Honoraire d'Echographie Gynéco-obstétricale, Avenue du Derby, 4, B1050 Bruxelles, Belgique.
J Gynecol Obstet Biol Reprod (Paris). 2000 May;29(3):261-3.
About 10 out of 100 newborns are affected by congenital heart defects that remain the least easy to detect remain prenatally, despite the relatively high detection rate of fetal malformations. Antenatal diagnosis of congenital heart defects depends on operator experience and skill, but recent techniques of computer assisted ultrasound imaging should be useful by allowing easier recognition of fetal heart anomalies. New imaging procedures include a set of internal fetal views by volume rendering and post acquisition slice selection. Internal views are nearly similar to those obtained during open-heart surgery. In practice, from typical long axis and apical views, two volumes are stored for further examination. Fetal movement, fetal spine and maternal obesity are unfavorable circumstances for useful examination. The routine use of cardiac volume sampling for malformations screening should be possible with increasing speed in image acquisition and in data storage to display real-time 3D imaging.
