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Updated: Apr 21, 2026
Fetal Mouse Cardiovascular Imaging Using a High-frequency Ultrasound 30/45MHZ System
Published on: May 5, 2018
Prenatal detection of congenital heart disease in a low risk population undergoing first and second trimester
Ditte E S Jørgensen1, Niels Vejlstrup, Connie Jørgensen
1Center of Fetal Medicine and Pregnancy, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
Objectives:
The prenatal detection rate of congenital heart disease (CHD) is low compared with other fetal malformations. Our aim was to evaluate the prenatal detection of CHD in Eastern Denmark.
Methods:
Fetuses and infants diagnosed with CHD in the period 01.01.2008-31.12.2010 were assessed regarding prenatal detection rate and accuracy, as well as correlation with nuchal translucency (NT) thickness.
Results:
Out of 86 121 infants, 831 were born with CHD (0.96%). The prenatal detection rate of 'all CHD' was 21.3%, of 'Major CHD' 47.4%. Full agreement between prenatal and postnatal/autopsy findings was found in 96% of prenatally detected diagnoses. An NT thickness >95(th) percentile was found in 15.0% fetuses with 'Major CHD'. Of 'Major CHDs' detected prenatally, 77% were picked up at the time of the malformation scan at weeks 18-21.
Conclusions:
Nearly half of 'Major CHDs' were detected prenatally. The prenatal cardiac diagnoses showed a high degree of accuracy. Increased NT thickness as a screening tool for CHD performed moderately but is an important high risk group for specialist examination. A minority of the prenatally detected CHDs was identified because of extra scans performed in high risk pregnancies. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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