Fetal magnetocardiography in the investigation of congenital heart defects.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To investigate the changes of the fetal magnetocardiography (FMCG), a new noninvasive diagnostic tool in the analysis of electrophysiologic changes of the heart, in cases of congenital heart defect (CHD).

METHODS:

The FMCG was analysed and compared to the postnatal ECG in eight cases of CHD: atrial septal defect ASDII (three cases), a combination of atrioventricular-septal-defect (AVSD) and Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) (one case ), complete transposition of great arteries (d-TGA) (two cases), coarctation of aorta (COA) (one case), stenosis of the pulmonary artery (PS) and right ventricular hypoplasia (one case).

RESULTS:

(1) The following FMCG changes were observed: a split R-wave (AVSD/TOF, ASDII), prolongation of QRS complex (COA, PS). (2) The notch of the R-wave could not be observed in the newborn with AVSD/TOF. (3) Neither the fetal FMCG nor the neonatal ECG revealed any changes in the cases of d-TGA. (4) All other neonatal ECGs were corresponding to the FMCG.

CONCLUSIONS:

The FMCG can unearth changes of the cardiac electrophysiologic activity in the case of CHD. The method provides additional information concerning the effect of a CHD on the cardiac conductory system. As in the neonate, the FMCG changes do not reflect the severity of the CHD. FMCG cannot serve as a primary diagnostic tool in the case of CHD as compared to echocardiography.

• Authors: Christiane Kähler, Ekkehard Schleussner, Barbara Grimm, Uwe Schneider, Jens Haueisen, Lothar Vogt, Hans-Joachim Seewald
• Journal: Early human development (Early Hum Dev) Vol. 69 Issue 1-2 Pg. 65-75 (Oct 2002) ISSN: 0378-3782 [Print] Ireland
• PMID: 12324184 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Topics

• Adult
• Arrhythmias, Cardiac (diagnosis)
• Electrocardiography (methods)
• Female
• Fetal Diseases (diagnosis)
• Heart Defects, Congenital (diagnosis)
• Humans
• Magnetics
• Pregnancy
• Prenatal Diagnosis
• Reproducibility of Results