echogenic intracardiac focus should i be worried

I also did NIPT testing at 13 weeks and came back low risk for everything and so did my NT scan at 13 weeks. Before We recommend a third-trimester ultrasound examination to evaluate growth and consideration of weekly antenatal fetal surveillance beginning at 36 0/7 weeks of gestation (GRADE 1C); (12) for fetuses with isolated urinary tract dilation A1, we recommend an ultrasound examination at 32 weeks of gestation to determine if postnatal pediatric urology "Some ultrasound findings, like an echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) are frequently detected on ultrasound," Dr. Chao says. For most women, I mention that the finding will appear on the final ultrasound report since patients can see all of their results in our electronic medical record. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy. Should I be concerned? Thank you for your collaboration in keeping our community healthy, and remember we are here for you! 203, 2nd floor, 71 Raintree, 2nd lane, Hindu colony, Near Swaminarayan temple Dadar East . New Patient Appointment, Appointment Although the EIF doesnt cause problems for the baby, some studies have suggested there could be a slightly increased risk for Down syndrome when this ultrasound finding is present. I guess Im just looking for anyone who has gone through something similar? Isolated EIF and negative NIPT. I explain what it means and why they shouldnt worry. If we see this defect on an ultrasound, well thoroughly examine the baby to make sure everything else is developing as expected. Unable to process the form. An echogenic intracardiac focus (or EIF) is a small bright spot seen on a developing baby's heart during an ultrasound. In our study, echogenic foci were predominantly found in the left ventricle (85%) similar to the 61-88% reported by others 2, 4, 10.. Smith-Bindman et al. But on average, these babies weigh 6.5 pounds and arrive after 38 weeks of pregnancy not very small or very early. Publication types Clinical Trial MeSH terms It was only flagged for me because the baby showed 3 different spots. Some of these can be quite scary, particularly when the patient sees them in electronic medical records or imaging reports without context from a doctor. In isolation it does not signify any heart defect. Extrapolating to a lower risk population, the positive predictive value of an echogenic intracardiac focus for detecting Down syndrome in patients at an age-based risk of one in 250, one in 500, and one in 1000 was calculated to be 1.53, 0.77, and 0.39% respectively. Isolated 'soft signs' of fetal choroid plexus cysts or echogenic intracardiac focus - consequences of their continued reporting. I had this with my now two year old and he turned out fine no Down syndrome. Epub 2020 Mar 9. think twice before sharing personal details, foster a friendly and supportive environment, remove fake accounts, spam and misinformation, delete posts that violate our community guidelines, reviewed by our medical review board and team of experts. Group Owners uphold the core values of the brand by reporting content that violates the community guidelines. EIFs themselves have no impact on health or heart function. I had the same thing told to me at my ultrasound today . or 214-645-8300 We also have an echogenic focus, along with a couple other soft markers for downs. Evidence of other "fetal findings" seen on the ultrasound that suggest a chromosome problem. An echogenic intracardiac focus has been associated with an increased risk of Down syndrome and trisomy 13 (1), trisomy 18 and monosomy X (2-5). 1 These bright spots seen in the heart are called echogenic intracardiac foci (multiple) or an echogenic intracardiac focus (singular), which is often shortened to EIF, a cardiac echogenic focus, or echogenic focus. Especially considering the comments above about their baby having EIF and being totally healthy! The only thing was an echogenic foci spot on his heart. If there are no problems or chromosome abnormalities, EIFs are considered normal changes, or variants. BUT! Not infrequently, serious cardiac defects are confused as echogenic focus in fetal heart. According to the MFM doc I saw, it is used as a marker for Down syndrome but only if a number of other signs are also noticed (small size, missing nasal bone, etc). Sometimes, one or more small bright spots are seen in one of the babys heart chambers, most frequently in the ventricles, or pumping chambers. Hypoplasia or atresia of mitral and aortic valve, Flow reversal in oval foramen and distal aortic arch, Aortic stenosis ( difficult to diagnose in utero), Flow reversal in distal aortic arch may be present, May develop into hypoplastic left heart syndrome. In short, medicine and physicians see things from the patients perspective. But enough about that for now. If you ask me whats my favorite book to recommend to pregnant women? , I will mama! This is because your bones are mostly composed of minerals such as calcium and phosphate. When an echogenic intracardiac focus is identified in an otherwise normal second trimester fetus, a normal cell-free DNA test can be very reassuring and obviate the need for invasive testing. An official website of the United States government. "An EIF is a bright spot in one of the chambers of the . Other factors are discussed in counseling include: The best available evidence suggests that an isolated echogenic intracardiac focus in the fetus of an otherwise low risk woman does not confer an increased risk of fetal aneuploidy. If the mother has screened positive for higher risk of the chromosome abnormality trisomy 18 in pregnancy, we would talk about additional testing. The OB said the standard of care is to then proceed to a level 2 ultra sound. I ended up getting a level 2 ultrasound (for something else- my second baby was born with a birth defect and it could happen again), but they checked on the marker on the heart and the specialist said her daughter had one as well and it was nothing. EIF has no impact on heart function before or after birth and almost never requires follow-up testing.If a patient has already had an amniocentesis orchorionic villus sampling (CVS), or even a cell-free fetal DNA screen, then all of these findings are even less important. This is thought to represent mineralization, or small deposits of calcium, in the muscle of the heart. Dec 1, 2021 at 3:42 PM. Echogenic intracardiac focus in 2nd-trimester fetuses with trisomy 21: usefulness as a US marker. Sonographic identification of an echogenic intracardiac focus was associated with a fourfold increased risk of Down syndrome (risk ratio 4.3, 95% confidence interval 1.5-12.3). Shipp TD, Bromley B, Lieberman E et-al. These minerals are what we call radiopaque. Has anyone gave birth to healthy babies t During our 13 week ultrasound the doctor detected a white spot or EIF (Echogenic Intracardiac Focus) in our baby's heart. We respect everyones right to express their thoughts and opinions as long as they remain respectful of other community members, and meet What to Expects Terms of Use. But echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is almost never something to worry about. Assured me my baby is developing just fine and that nothing is wrong with her heart. The same logic applies here; the heart is a muscle. What is a dobutamine stress echocardiogram? 8600 Rockville Pike It is an "extremely wimpy" indicator of downsas in most babies who have an echogenic focus do not have downs, and most kids with downs do . Please select a reason for escalating this post to the WTE moderators: Connect with our community members by starting a discussion. Midwife called with Anatomy results and they found a shadow where baby's heart is. Epidemiology They are thought to be present in ~4-5% of karyotypically normal fetuses. It is not healthy for you or the baby. Chromosomal microarray analysis for the detection of chromosome abnormalities in fetuses with echogenic intracardiac focus in women without high-risk factors. Ko HS, Kwak DW, Oh SY, Choi SK, Hong JS, Hwang HS, Park HS, Seol HJ, Kim MY, Kim SJ, Park JS. Routine-care appointments such as women's wellness exams will be delayed or rescheduled for a future date. Forother healthconcerns, please contact us toschedule an appointment. In general, it's suggested that women with this finding . There is no special testing recommended for pregnancies found to have an isolated EIF. Most EIF seen in the middle of the pregnancy will not go away before delivery. If it is difficult to tell if the EIF is as bright as bone, the gain in the image can be decreased to see which structure disappears first. If you feel a message or content violates these standards and would like to request its removal please submit the following information and our moderating team will respond shortly. Winter TC, Anderson AM, Cheng EY et-al. The answer is in your first anatomy lecture below. We also use content and scripts from third parties that may use tracking technologies. We also have an echogenic focus, along with a couple other soft markers for downs. A few days later I get a call from my OB saying that baby is growing appropriate and everything looked great BUT there was a white spot found in his heart called Echogenic Intracardiac Focus. Archived post. Since they do not cause problems for the baby, additional ultrasounds to follow-up on the EIF are not needed. May cause obstruction to mitral/ tricuspid/ aortic or pulmonary valve. Amniocentesis is a diagnostic procedure available until about 22 weeks of pregnancy for prenatal diagnosis of chromosome abnormalities. J. Obstet. An echogenic intracardiac focus is a small bright spot seen within the region of the heart seen during an ultrasound examination. Hope everything turns out okay! He said it happens in 1-5% of pregnancies. Tools Echogenic intracardiac focus ( EIF) is a small bright spot seen in the baby's heart on an ultrasound exam. December 2013. Most of the time, EIF is seen during a routine prenatal ultrasound performed around weeks 8-20 of the pregnancy. I couldn't find many videos about EIF findings and I thought others might be looking for one to help ease their mind. -. A finding of a focus of increased echogenicity upon prenatal ultrasound examination of the fetus. On ultrasound, areas with more calcium (such as in bones) cause the sound waves to respond with a brighter appearance on the screen. Biventricular EIFs are considered to be a higher risk for aneuploidy. An echogenic intracardiac focus (or EIF) is a small bright spot seen on a developing babys heart during an ultrasound. [1] In the case of an isolated EIF, and no other ultrasound findings, some studies show that the risk for a chromosome abnormality is approximately two times a woman's background risk. The specialist said that any one of those 4 things would be nothing to worry about but since I had all 4 they wanted to do further testing since 2 are signs of Downs syndrome and 2 are signs of triploidy. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Significance of an echogenic intracardiac focus in fetuses at high and low risk for aneuploidy", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Echogenic_intracardiac_focus&oldid=1069740505, Mother's age at the expected date of delivery. Of course, this isnt an exact number. Sujyot heart clinic She also told us that in Europe they don't even report it since it's benign if not accompanies with any other concern. Please select a reason for escalating this post to the WTE moderators: Connect with our community members by starting a discussion. A normal amniocentesis result means the EIF is not significant and there would be no other concerns about it. Researchers have noted an association between an EIF and a chromosome problem in the baby. A Group Owner is a member that has initiated the creation of a group to connect with other members to share their journey through the same pregnancy & baby stages. Manning JE, Ragavendra N, Sayre J et-al. But echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is almost never something to worry about. We strive to provide you with a high quality community experience. Echogenic intracardiac focus March 5, 2021 March 5, 2021 dianaduartenguyen Birth Month Groups I had my 20 week ultrasound on 3/1/2021 I had a hunch there was something up when the tech told me she needed to take a few more pictures of the heart and some other parts after more than 30 mins into the appointment. People ask, Is it taking up space so normal brain tissue cant develop? Wrede E, Knippel AJ, Verde PE, Hammer R, Kozlowski P. Ultrasound Int Open. J Ultrasound Med. I remember how much it stressed me out! Abstract. In our study, echogenic foci were predominantly found in the left ventricle (85%) similar to the 61-88% reported by others 2, 4, 10.. Smith-Bindman et al. Echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is a small bright spot seen in the baby's heart during an ultrasound scan. Dec 1, 2021 at 3:42 PM. . I just had my 20 week anatomy scan as well and they saw a calcium deposit (EIF). The team at University of Colorado OB-GYN. I had an amnio done same day and 48 hours later the FISH results were back and negative for all trisomies and triploidy. Echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is a relatively common sonographic observation that may be present on an antenatal ultrasound scan. Weve already said that its seen in more than 20 percent of babies. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value for using the presence of an echogenic intracardiac focus to identify a fetus with Down syndrome was 18.2, 95.3, and 6.1%, respectively. 14. The provider said it could be a soft marker for Down syndrome, or could turn out to be nothing to worry about at all. Group Black's collective includes Essence, The Shade Room and Naturally Curly. Below are three fairly common ultrasound findings that you might come across. 13 It is a common finding in the population, visible in three to five per cent of normal fetuses. I'm 29 and have no other risk factors but I guess these only show in 5% of normal pregnancies. I appreciate all of the info! My best friend was told this of her little guy at his anatomy scan and he's now 9 months and healthy as can be! Flu symptoms (fever, chills, body aches, etc.). Among the 1334 patients in the study group, 66 fetuses (4.9%) had an echogenic intracardiac focus. Calcium is a natural mineral found in the body. You can also usethe portalto email your doctor. What is echogenic focus in heart? Scheduled me for a 30 week scan and said its possible that the EIF could be gone by then anyways. Echogenic foci, left ventricle: That's what was written in the ultrasound report. Echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is a relatively common sonographic observation that may be present on an antenatal ultrasound scan. 1st Pregnancy. Please whitelist our site to get all the best deals and offers from our partners. The first figure below shows how a normal heart looks on an ultrasound. AJR Am J Roentgenol. But once we have a little more information about your background and risk for congenital problems in the fetus, they rarely are cause for concern. Anderson N, Jyoti R. Relationship of isolated fetal intracardiac echogenic focus to trisomy 21 at the mid-trimester sonogram in women younger than 35 years. My baby has this thing, and a level 2 ultra sound won't be able to tell me if she actually has downs or another chromosomal disorder. Bookshelf Okay, so this is a first pregnancy and the doctor has mentioned an Echogenic Intracardiac Focus - EIF a white spot on the developing baby's heart. Obstet Gynecol Sci. I was told the same thing at our anatomy scan. It is so common in babies with Asian ethnicity that it can't even be used as a marker. They may be more common in the Asian population 5. An echogenic intracardiac focus (or EIF) is a small bright spot seen on a developing baby's heart during an ultrasound. The educational health content on What To Expect is reviewed by our medical review board and team of experts to be up-to-date and in line with the latest evidence-based medical information and accepted health guidelines, including the medically reviewed What to Expect books by Heidi Murkoff. I dont have any advice but I had my anatomy scan today and they want to check him for coarctation of the aorta. Pleasecontact our officeor notify our staff at check-in if you are experiencing any of the following: Patients with symptomswho require an urgent visitwill need to wear a mask during an in-person appointment. During the second trimester of pregnancy, an OB-GYN will perform a prenatal ultrasound to examine the babys heart. Automated page speed optimizations for fast site performance, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, What to Expect When Youre Expecting by Heidi Murkoff, How To Reduce Inflammation In The Body Fast. thank you! I had my 20 week ultrasound on 3/1/2021 I had a hunch there was something up when the tech told me she needed to take a few more pictures of the heart and some other parts after more than 30 mins into the appointment. 2022 Mar;65(2):145-155. doi: 10.5468/ogs.21216. It is not a defect or a disease. Significance of fetal intracardiac echogenic foci in relation to trisomy 21: a prospective sonographic study of high-risk pregnant women. How important is a cardiac echogenic focus in a routine fetal examination? It is NOT an abnormality and is NOT associated with heart defects. Prior, we had a negative NIPT and a good nuchal screen avg 1.63mm and normal. Would you like email updates of new search results? The published risks of Down syndrome among fetuses with echogenic cardiac foci have varied from no increased risk up to a four-fold increase in the age-related risk. After delivery, there is no use for these arteries. Can be observed 1 in 5 pregnancy, during second and third trimester. I had mine done this week and was told the same.. had an appointment with a genetic counselor because my head was going 100 different directions. The person doing the ultrasound, called the ultrasound technician or sonographer . That means that 99/100 babies with this finding will not have Down syndrome. They are thought to be present in ~4-5% of karyotypically normal fetuses. 5. In other simple words, an echogenic intracardiac focus is nothing but the deposit of calcium and other minerals inside the hearts myocardium (another fancy word for the hearts muscle). The cause of an echogenic intracardiac focus is unknown. 2000 Aug;216(2):450-6. doi: 10.1148/radiology.216.2.r00au32450. How? Echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is a small bright spot seen in the baby's heart on an ultrasound exam. However; other major cardiac defects can be mis-diagnosed as echogenic focus. Wax JR, Cartin A, Pinette MG et-al. Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Pathology If you shoot X-ray beams at the mothers uterus, the fetus will be vulnerable and the consequences are rather dire; ranging from simple harmless DNA mutations to complete malformations of the newborn. I have to go back in 3 weeks since they couldnt get all of the anatomy scanned since he was being super stubborn, and theyll go from there to determine if I should do any further testing. Oct 1, 2017 at 8:01 PM. The site is secure. I guess this is a soft marker for downs syndrome but since there is only this marker, everything else on the scan was perfect, and I'm low risk, its unlikely that this means my baby has downs. Choroid plexus cysts on their own are not harmful. Abstract. Keep us posted on how the genetic karyotyping turns out! They are typically seen as a small bright echoic focus within the fetal heart on a four chamber view (often as bright as bone). 2001 Jun;20(6):655-74. doi: 10.7863/jum.2001.20.6.655. ADVERTISEMENT: Radiopaedia is free thanks to our supporters and advertisers. It shows up as a bright spot on the heart in imaging, and it's thought to be a microcalcification on the heart muscle. ADVERTISEMENT: Supporters see fewer/no ads. Four of 22 fetuses (18%) with trisomy 21 had an echogenic intracardiac focus, compared with 62 (4.7%) of 1312 fetuses without Down syndrome who also had an echogenic intracardiac focus (P = .004). Youve probably have taken an X-ray before, right? After my dr told us it likely meant NOTHING, I just wanted the US's cos I liked to see my baby dance around. If you are using our Services via a browser you can restrict, block or remove cookies through your web browser settings. Microcalcifications of the papillary muscles or chordae tendinae are being represented by this . EIFs are found in about 3-5% of normal pregnancies and cause no health problems.") My doctor didnt seem to be too worried, since it's the only soft marker for DS they were able to see. Clinical significance of soft markers in second trimester ultrasonography for pregnant Korean women: a multicenter study and literature review. Should I be worried? We strive to provide you with a high quality community experience. Echogenic intracardiac focus is an ultrasound finding that is most commonly seen during the second and third trimester of pregnancy. Accessibility Answer (1 of 4): "..testimonies related to this and the outcome" are not going to be helpful. Isolated findings may not need further evaluation. Its a classic bestseller book with over 18 million copies sold. An EIF in the fetal heart may indicate an increased chance of the baby having a chromosome problem. I asked her if the heart was okay. Hello everyone I had my anatomy scan today, and all looked well except they said baby seemed to have a echogenic intracardiac focus in the left ventricle. They may be more common in the Asian population 5 . or 817-882-2400, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd. Echogenic Intracardiac During a second trimester ultrasound, the fetal heart is routinely examined. This is thought to represent mineralization, or small deposits of calcium, in the heart muscle. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Id immediately answer: What to Expect When Youre Expecting by Heidi Murkoff. 203, 2nd floor, 71 Raintree, 2nd lane, Hindu colony. The .gov means its official. I guess this is a soft marker for downs syndrome but since there is only this marker, everything else on the scan was perfect, and I'm low risk, its unlikely that this means my baby has downs. An echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is a relatively common finding, even in otherwise normal fetuses. With just an echogenic focus, your odds of down syndrome do not change at all. It is not a birth defect. Anderson N, Jyoti R. Relationship of isolated fetal intracardiac echogenic focus to trisomy 21 at the mid-trimester sonogram in women younger than 35 years. 2005;192 (6): 2021-6. The views expressed in community are solely the opinions of participants, and do not reflect those of What to Expect. It basically covers every aspect of being pregnant from the psychological effect its going to have on the parents to the medical side of things (Zika virus, prenatal screening, and the safety of medications during pregnancy, as well as a brand-new section on postpartum birth control). It forms this thick deposit of minerals that infiltrates inside the hearts muscle. Thieme. It needs to be differentiated from normal papillary muscle which is not as bright as bone and a moderator band which is situated at the ventricular apex. Bright spot seen in heart during evaluation of fetus. The most commonly studied soft markers of aneuploidy include a thickened nuchal fold, long bones shortening, mild fetal pyelectasis, echogenic bowel, echogenic intracardiac focus, FMF angle > 90 degrees, pathologic velocity of Ductus venosus and choroid plexus cyst. Echogenic intracardiac focus is an ultrasound finding that is most commonly seen during the second and third trimester of pregnancy. Epub 2022 Feb 21. Hi coming from the February group! Echogenic intracardiac focus (EICF) is defined as a focus of echogenicity comparable to bone, in the region of the papillary muscle in either or both ventricles of the fetal heart . I didnt ask her much questions because I was in shock but I am reading on it now and I think its the NIPT, I will ask more questions when I speak to the Genetics specialist.

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