Left ventricular echogenic focus in the fetal heart: pathologic correlation

J Ultrasound Med. 1994 Aug;13(8):613-6. doi: 10.7863/jum.1994.13.8.613.

Abstract

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. The cause and exact location of these foci have remained speculative, however. We identified three fetuses with this sonographic finding in whom pathologic correlation was available. The only consistent histologic finding present in all three fetuses was mineralization within a papillary muscle; the chordae tendineae were normal. One of the three fetuses had trisomy 21. Echogenic foci within the left ventricle of the fetal heart represent papillary muscle mineralization. Until more data are available to investigate any possible association with aneuploidy, an echogenic focus in the left ventricle should still be considered a normal variant.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Calcinosis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Calcinosis / pathology
  • Echocardiography*
  • Female
  • Fetal Diseases / diagnostic imaging*
  • Fetal Diseases / pathology
  • Fetal Heart / diagnostic imaging*
  • Fetal Heart / pathology
  • Heart Ventricles / diagnostic imaging
  • Heart Ventricles / pathology
  • Humans
  • Papillary Muscles / diagnostic imaging*
  • Papillary Muscles / pathology
  • Pregnancy
  • Ultrasonography, Prenatal*