FETAL COLOR DOPPLER-ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY .2. MALFORMATIONS OF THE HEART AND GREAT-VESSELS

The second part gives an overview of the usefulness of colour Doppler in the diagnosis of congenital heart anomalies in the foetus. Typical colour Doppler findings in anomalies of the right ventricular inflow and outflow tract are presented especially in tricuspid atresia, in Ebstein's anomaly, in pulmonary stenosis and pulmonary atresia. Furthermore exposed are the findings in malformations of left ventricular inflow and outflow tract like in hypoplastic left heart syndrome or in aortic stenosis. The typical shunt patterns detected in atrioventricular or ventricular septal defects are also presented. The analysis of the perfusion of the great vessels bei colour Doppler is important and enables a reliable assessment of some cardiac defects like the Tetralogy of Fallot, the transposition of great arteries or the double outlet right ventricle. At least the application of the colour coded M-Mode echocardiography is explained. Colour Doppler echocardiography is a non-invasive method which is helpful in the detection and the description of abnormalities of the foetal heart and is nowadays indispensable in the prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart defects.