Echogenic focus in the fetal left ventricular cavity: is it a false tendon?

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Fetal Medicine
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Echogenic foci in the fetal left ventricle are common incidental findings.
• Left ventricular false tendons are often overlooked or misidentified.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the left ventricular false tendon as a differential diagnosis for fetal echogenic foci.
• To prevent misinterpretation leading to unnecessary invasive procedures.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 161 fetuses with left ventricular echogenic foci.
• Fetal echocardiography and 2-D color Doppler echocardiography performed prenatally and postnatally.
• Standardized echocardiographic views were obtained for all cases.

Main Results:

• Nine fetuses (5.6%) were diagnosed with left ventricular false tendons without other cardiac anomalies.
• Six of these nine underwent amniocentesis due to maternal age or other soft markers.
• No cardiovascular or systemic pathologies were found in these fetuses.

Conclusions:

• Left ventricular false tendons should be considered in the differential diagnosis of fetal echogenic foci.
• Misdiagnosis can lead to unnecessary invasive procedures and maternal anxiety.
• Careful echocardiographic assessment is vital for accurate fetal diagnosis.