What is the meaning of echogenic foci?
Echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is a small bright spot seen in the baby’s heart on an ultrasound exam. This is thought to represent mineralization, or small deposits of calcium, in the muscle of the heart.
How serious is an echogenic focus found in heart?
An echogenic focus on its own poses no health risk to the fetus, and when the baby is born, there are no risks to their health or cardiac functioning as a result of an EIF. It is considered a variation of normal heart anatomy and is not associated with any short- or long-term health problems.
Is echogenic foci normal?
Echogenic foci within the left ventricle of the heart have been found in a minority of fetuses and generally are believed to be a normal variant.
What causes echogenic foci?
The cause of an echogenic intracardiac focus is unknown. It is possible that calcium deposits in the muscle wall of the ventricles may cause these spots. Calcium is a natural mineral found in the body. Areas of the body that have more calcium, such as bones, show up brighter on an ultrasound.
How common are echogenic foci?
If there is more than one bright spot, they are called echogenic foci. This common ultrasound finding is seen in about 1 out of every 20 or 30 pregnancies (~3-5%). An echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) does not affect health of the baby or how the baby’s heart works.
What causes echogenic focus heart?
An echogenic intracardiac focus (or EIF) is a small bright spot seen on a developing baby’s heart during an ultrasound. The cause of EIF is unknown, but the condition is generally harmless. EIF is considered a normal pregnancy variation, but prenatal screening tests may be desirable to test for any abnormalities.
Is echogenic focus common?
This common ultrasound finding is seen in about 1 out of every 20 or 30 pregnancies (~3-5%). An echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) does not affect health of the baby or how the baby’s heart works. This finding is generally considered a normal variation.
Do echogenic foci disappear?
Related Stories. The echogenic intracardiac focus is usually caught on an ultrasound examination in the first trimester ( about 14 weeks of pregnancy). In some cases, the condition disappears by the time the pregnant woman comes in for her next ultrasound in the second trimester.
Will echogenic focus go away?
Will the EIF go away? Most EIF seen in the middle of the pregnancy will not go away before delivery. Since they do not cause problems for the baby, there is no special concern if they are still visible at a later time. For this reason, no ultrasound follow-up is needed to watch for changes in the EIF.
Does echogenic focus mean Down syndrome?
Conclusion: Fetuses with an echogenic intracardiac focus have a significantly increased risk of Down syndrome. Although most fetuses with this finding are normal, patients carrying fetuses with an echogenic intracardiac focus should be counseled about the increased risk of trisomy 21.
Does echogenic focus go away?
Most EIF seen in the middle of the pregnancy will not go away before delivery. Since they do not cause problems for the baby, additional ultrasounds to follow-up on the EIF are not needed.
An echogenic intracardiac focus is linked to a suspected cardiac malformation or may lead to a congenital heart defect at birth. However, the most worrisome effect that it may have is that it signals the presence of Down’s syndrome .
What does it mean to have an echogenic focus?
Echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is a small bright spot seen in the baby’s heart on an ultrasound exam. This is thought to represent mineralization, or small deposits of calcium, in the muscle of the heart.
What is echogenic cardiac focus?
Echogenic Cardiac Focus. An echogenic cardiac focus (ECF, also known as echogenic chordae) refers to a bright spot seen in the fetal heart by ultrasound.
What is echogenic calcifications?
Echogenic intracardiac foci are thought to represent calcifications within the fetal papillary muscle, and may be the result of an aggregate of chordal tissues that have failed to fenestrate completely, enhancement of abnormal tissue, or a collection of fibrous tissue with increased echogenicity (13,14).