Shortening fraction of the right ventricle: a comparison between euploid and trisomy 21 fetuses at week 11 to week 13 and 6 days of gestation

Abstract

The SFRV values in fetuses with trisomy 21 appear to be significantly greater than in the euploid fetuses. The RVDD also appears to be greater in fetuses with trisomy 21 than in the euploid fetuses.

Fetal right ventricular contraction and relaxation times at 11–13 weeks' gestation on speckle tracking imaging

“…Extensive research has demonstrated that the prevalence of these findings is substantially higher in fetuses with trisomy 21 at 11–13 weeks' gestation than in euploid fetuses. However, cardiac function in fetuses with trisomy 21 in the first trimester has been examined in very few studies, and these used pulsed‐wave Doppler and M‐mode ultrasound to measure atrioventricular and arterial blood flow velocities, cardiac output, stroke volume, shortening fraction and cardiac times.…”

Early Evaluation of the Fetal Heart

“…Using M-mode in a transverse 4-chamber view, several authors reported an increment in the left and right ventricular shortening fractions in fetuses with trisomy 21 [78,79] . In a large 169 study evaluating cardiac function in fetuses with chromosomal anomalies, the results showed that fetuses with trisomy 21 had a higher prevalence of an increased pulsatility index in the ductus venosus, increased E/A ratios, and a higher prevalence of tricuspid regurgitation as compared with fetuses with no chromosomal anomalies [80] .…”