|
||
An echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is a small white spot (as bright as bone) seen in the baby’s heart during an ultrasound examination.[1]. These bright spots appear to be caused by small deposits of calcium in the papillary muscle of the heart [2,3]. EIF are most often a normal finding and have no significant effect on the development of the heart [1,4]. EIF may be seen in up to 30, 6, and 11 % of Asian, black, and white fetuses respectively [5].
Some studies have shown that a baby is is more likely to have Down syndrome when
an EIF is seen if the mother isover the age of 35 years old, has abnormal serum
screening, or additional ultrasound findings [1,6,7]. These babies may be
about twice as likely to have Down syndrome when an EIF is seen [7, 8, 9, 10]
An echogenic intracardiac focus is not a birth defect, and does not cause any long term health problems or heart problems for the baby. REFERENCES |
Copyright © 2013 by Focus Information Technology. All rights reserved.