We got to see our precious little one and see the baby moving around! I guess this is a soft marker for downs syndrome but since there is only this marker, everything else on the scan was perfect, and I'm low risk, its unlikely that this means my baby has downs. Your odds are not increased of having a baby with downs with just an echogenic focus. We respect everyones right to express their thoughts and opinions as long as they remain respectful of other community members, and meet What to Expects Terms of Use. EIFs are found in about 3-5% of normal pregnancies and do not cause any health problems. It forms this thick deposit of minerals that infiltrates inside the hearts muscle. I am hoping everything goes well and that there really is no need for concern. May cause obstruction to mitral/ tricuspid/ aortic or pulmonary valve. If your scan only showed 1 and there were no other physical indicators of a problem I would do further testing but I wouldnt be too concerned. I didnt have the early genetic testing done either, so really not sure what to expect now . , I will mama! Fetuses with an echogenic intracardiac focus have a significantly increased risk of Down syndrome. The cause of EIF is unknown, but the condition is generally harmless. Among theentire population studied(901 subjects), theincidence oftnisomy21was2% (17/901). doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000019014. How important is a cardiac echogenic focus in a routine fetal examination? Publications & Guidelines | SMFM.org - The Society for Maternal-Fetal 2017 Feb;56(1):16-22. doi: 10.1016/j.tjog.2016.11.002. I am googling and stressing myself out and I know it's not good for the baby either. Ultrasound should an Echogenic intracardiac focus. Anyone else Answer (1 of 4): "..testimonies related to this and the outcome" are not going to be helpful. If you shoot X-ray beams at the mothers uterus, the fetus will be vulnerable and the consequences are rather dire; ranging from simple harmless DNA mutations to complete malformations of the newborn. 1388 Replies. In other simple words, an echogenic intracardiac focus is nothing but the deposit of calcium and other minerals inside the hearts myocardium (another fancy word for the hearts muscle). My husband has history of heart murmur that dissolved on it own. If you ask me whats my favorite book to recommend to pregnant women? Our baby was born February 24th perfectly healthy! At the time the article was last revised Jeremy Jones had no recorded disclosures. The risk only becomes really significant when there are other risk factors involved in the pregnant woman. However, not all studies agree that there is any connection to Down syndrome. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the The first thing you notice is that all your bones look white and bright on the X-ray; whereas, your muscles and soft tissues appear dark and invisible. I couldn't find many videos about EIF findings and I thought others might be looking for one to help ease their mind. 2019 Nov;5(3):E98-E106. Your Pregnancy Matters, I would like to know if anyone has got EIT before and Im really worried as a first time mom, dr said its nothing to worry about, that its common and goes away. J Ultrasound Med. Prior, we had a negative NIPT and a good nuchal screen avg 1.63mm and normal. think twice before sharing personal details, foster a friendly and supportive environment, remove fake accounts, spam and misinformation, delete posts that violate our community guidelines, reviewed by our medical review board and team of experts. In association with some other anomaly, doctor may ask for genetic evaluation. Echogenic foci, left ventricle: That's what was written in the ultrasound report. The OB said the standard of care is to then proceed to a level 2 ultra sound. If it is difficult to tell if the EIF is as bright as bone, the gain in the image can be decreased to see which structure disappears first. It is NOT an abnormality and is NOT associated with heart defects. 8600 Rockville Pike EIFs themselves have no impact on health or heart function. But echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is almost never something to worry about. The educational health content on What To Expect is reviewed by our medical review board and team of experts to be up-to-date and in line with the latest evidence-based medical information and accepted health guidelines, including the medically reviewed What to Expect books by Heidi Murkoff. Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. They are typically seen as a small bright echoic focus within the fetal heart on a four chamber view (often as bright as bone). Also I dont know if it will be reassurance for you or not but the extremely reputable specialist we saw talked to us about what exactly causes the Echogenic intracardiac foci and said that its super common to have 1 show up, its just where dense tissue comes together and since the heart is a muscle its not rare. Bookshelf Accessibility I know these things are worrisome but if I were you Id just ignore it. intracardiac echogenic foci,karyotype analyses revealed trisomy 21in14(2%)fetuses.The sonographically identifiable intracardiac echo-genic focimeasured 1-2mm indiameter. She mentioned a blood test that can determine (98%) chance that the baby has DS. They may be more common in the Asian population 5. Again, if its an isolated finding, we dont worry about it. thank you! ADVERTISEMENT: Supporters see fewer/no ads. My Dr told me not to worry but scheduled me to see a specialist for his heart to double check. I couldn't find many videos about EIF findings and I thought others might be looking for one to help ease their mind. Echogenic intracardiac focus - Wikipedia In radiology, there are many machines and devices used to scan the human body to help with diagnoses and treatments. "An EIF is a bright spot in one of the chambers of the . A few days later I get a call from my OB saying that baby is growing appropriate and everything looked great BUT there was a white spot found in his heart called Echogenic Intracardiac Focus. J Ultrasound Med. All Rights Reserved, We use cookies to enhance your experience while using our website. Home Blog Echogenic focus in fetal heart to worry or not to worry, Endocardial fibroelastosis and dilated dysfuntional LV. Many babies with chromosome problems do not show any signs on ultrasound. I did the NIPT testing and it flagged me high risk for triploidy so I had to see a fetal specialist. Sometimes, one or more small bright spots are seen in one of the babys heart chambers, most frequently in the ventricles, or pumping chambers. Significance of fetal intracardiac echogenic foci in relation to trisomy 21: a prospective sonographic study of high-risk pregnant women. Combined with another marker or a screening test that suggests a high risk of chromosome concerns, the marker might indicate a higher risk for that condition. EIF occurs in as many as 5 percent of all pregnancies. (calcium deposit) They said it was minor and that this can appear on any fetus whether or not the baby has downs. This is a common finding on ultrasounds, seen in about 3 percent to 5 percent of pregnancies. echogenic intracardiac focus The Bump For this reason, when a pregnant woman comes to the doctors office to check on her fetus, we dont use X-rays machines or a CT scan which also involves using X-ray beams. I didnt have any genetic testing done so Im not sure if Im at risk or not for Down Syndrome but from my research its very unlikely the baby has Down Syndrome unless paired with other markers. 1 These bright spots seen in the heart are called echogenic intracardiac foci (multiple) or an echogenic intracardiac focus (singular), which is often shortened to EIF, a cardiac echogenic focus, or echogenic focus. So our first question when we detect a bright spot is about the parents ethnic backgrounds. The doctor will insert a thin needle into the patients abdomen until it reaches the amniotic sac where he/she can sample a few skin cells that physiologically shed from the baby. Hi coming from the February group! I had mine done this week and was told the same.. had an appointment with a genetic counselor because my head was going 100 different directions. This educational content is not medical or diagnostic advice. This will evaluate the four normal chambers of the heart: the right atrium and ventricle, and left atrium and ventricle. Epidemiology They are thought to be present in ~4-5% of karyotypically normal fetuses. It is not a birth defect. Anyone else experience this before ? eCollection 2019 Nov. Song Y, Xu J, Li H, Gao J, Wu L, He G, Liu W, Hu Y, Peng Y, Yang F, Jiang X, Wang J. A Group Owner is a member that has initiated the creation of a group to connect with other members to share their journey through the same pregnancy & baby stages. Tools Echogenic intracardiac focus ( EIF) is a small bright spot seen in the baby's heart on an ultrasound exam. 400014. The person doing the ultrasound, called the ultrasound technician or sonographer . Bright spot seen in heart during evaluation of fetus. This page was last edited on 3 February 2022, at 20:50. It shows up as a bright spot on the heart in imaging, and it's thought to be a microcalcification on the heart muscle. Please whitelist our site to get all the best deals and offers from our partners. Look up EIF on this apptons of people with the same and the absolute majority have had zero issues and healthy babies. It is usually the site of a small calcium . Echogenic intracardiac focus Implications - News-Medical.net Sometimes; however, when a mineral such as calcium aggregates together. Isolated Echogenic Cardiac Focus: Assessing Association with Trisomy 21 by Combining Results from a Prenatal Center with a Bayesian Meta-Analysis. Poorly Controlled seizure unusual presentation of long QT sydrome. Our doctor sent us to get a fetal echocardiogram where the doctor pretty much said that its just a calcium build up and using this as a marker for Down syndrome was years and years ago and there is barely any correlation unless the baby has other significant markers. FOIA An intracardiac echogenic focus (ICEF) . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Sujyot Heart Clinic have been providing different services for cardiography and Doppler related services. Epidemiology They are thought to be present in ~4-5% of karyotypically normal fetuses. 2004;23 (3): 459-61. The presence or absence of an echogenic intracardiac focus was noted. Went to my anatomy scan today. The cause of EIF is unknown, but the condition is generally harmless. According to the MFM doc I saw, it is used as a marker for Down syndrome but only if a number of other signs are also noticed (small size, missing nasal bone, etc). The early reports of sonographically detected intracardiac echogenic foci mainly concerned isolated echogenic spots in the fetal left ventricle 1-3.Subsequently, echogenic foci were detected in the right ventricle, both ventricles and even in the left atrium 4, 5.Since the original description in 1988 the significance of these echogenic foci has been controversial, with some authors . [1] Types of chromosome problems that are occasionally seen include trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome) or trisomy 21 (Down syndrome). Dec 1, 2021 at 3:42 PM. Several studies suggested a risk of about 1%. I was told the same thing at our anatomy scan. An echogenic intracardiac focus (or EIF) is a small bright spot seen on a developing baby's heart during an ultrasound. Prenatal screening tests can help find out if there is a higher or lower chance of having a baby with a certain problem. It is NOT an abnormality and is NOT associated with heart defects. He is perfectly fine and so is his heart. Glad everything turned out well-hopefully I can say the same soon! What is a dobutamine stress echocardiogram? Anyone with Echogenic Intracardiac Focus - April 2022 Babies | Forums Bright spot seen in heart during evaluation of fetus. The 18-23 week scan. Your Pregnancy Matters, Mental Health; Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meta-Analysis of Second-Trimester Markers for Trisomy 21, January 2013. AJR Am J Roentgenol. During a 10-month period, all women with singleton gestations who underwent second-trimester genetic amniocentesis for non-imaging indications were evaluated prospectively by prenatal sonography. I am working with the doctor to know more but until I meet with them or nurses, I need some motherly advice. Group Black's collective includes Essence, The Shade Room and Naturally Curly. EIF|Echogenic intracardiac focus - Perinatology.com The cause of an echogenic intracardiac focus is unknown. EIF is considered a normal pregnancy variation, but prenatal screening tests may be desirable to test for any abnormalities. After delivery, there is no use for these arteries. . Isolated EIF and negative NIPT - Echogenic Intracardiac Focus | Forums Group Leaders communicate with staff moderators and escalate potential violations for review, but they dont moderate discussions. It does not affect the development of the baby or the function of the heart. The views expressed in community are solely the opinions of participants, and do not reflect those of What to Expect. Wrede E, Knippel AJ, Verde PE, Hammer R, Kozlowski P. Ultrasound Int Open. In isolation, it is not a risk factor for chromosomal anomaly. We also have an echogenic focus, along with a couple other soft markers for downs. Echogenic focus is common animals found in which doesn't interfere with normal cardiac activity . Okay, so this is a first pregnancy and the doctor has mentioned an Echogenic Intracardiac Focus - EIF a white spot on the developing baby's heart. For most women, I mention that the finding will appear on the final ultrasound report since patients can see all of their results in our electronic medical record. If the mother has screened positive for higher risk of the chromosome abnormality trisomy 18 in pregnancy, we would talk about additional testing. In short, medicine and physicians see things from the patients perspective. Please Note: You can also scroll through stacks with your mouse wheel or the keyboard arrow keys. sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal I did go ahead and get the NIPT testing done, and everything came back low risk today . 2004;23 (7): 895-8. Clinical significance of soft markers in second trimester ultrasonography for pregnant Korean women: a multicenter study and literature review. Echogenic intracardiac focus: a sonographic sign for fetal Down So at my 20 week scan on Monday they found an EIF. In isolation it does not signify any heart defect. The dr. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value for using the presence of an echogenic intracardiac focus to identify a fetus with Down syndrome was 18.2, 95.3, and 6.1%, respectively. 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. Ultrasound Diagnosis of Fetal Anomalies. It was only flagged for me because the baby showed 3 different spots. My best friend was told this of her little guy at his anatomy scan and he's now 9 months and healthy as can be! Mine also has it. Bright focal reflections within the heart were judged to be either "true" or "false" echogenic intracardiac foci. Soft markers detectable at the mid-trimester ultrasound Your post will be hidden and deleted by moderators. Please whitelist our site to get all the best deals and offers from our partners. I also read it could be a marker for Down syndrome. Well, in 1995, a study was done by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital on 1334 pregnant women found that babies with a documented echogenic intracardiac focus had a significant risk of Down syndrome. BUT! "Some ultrasound findings, like an echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) are frequently detected on ultrasound," Dr. Chao says. Definition. After my dr told us it likely meant NOTHING, I just wanted the US's cos I liked to see my baby dance around. Manning JE, Ragavendra N, Sayre J et-al. This is because your bones are mostly composed of minerals such as calcium and phosphate. Alone, markers almost always are harmless. Should I be worried about EIF on ultrasound? Your post will be hidden and deleted by moderators. 1998 Apr;170(4):1083-4. doi: 10.2214/ajr.170.4.9530064. But on average, these babies weigh 6.5 pounds and arrive after 38 weeks of pregnancy not very small or very early. ADVERTISEMENT: Radiopaedia is free thanks to our supporters and advertisers. The answer is in your first anatomy lecture below. Echogenic intracardiac focus was originally described as a normal variant and has been demonstrated to be micro-calcifications within the papillary muscle. I was super stressed when I found this out and Im hoping I can give you some peace of mind! Assured me my baby is developing just fine and that nothing is wrong with her heart. Tissue harmonic imaging should be turned off when evaluating a potential EIF, to avoid false positives. These white spots are most likely seen during your mid-pregnancy ultrasound, which takes place between 18 weeks and 22 weeks. How proactive physical therapy can improve pregnancy and postpartum care, Pediatrics; It is NOT an abnormality and is NOT associated with heart defects. echogenic intracardiac focus - August 2022 Babies - What to Expect We do as much as we can to make sure you worry as little as possible, but if you do run across a term that concerns you, please ask. Echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is a relatively common sonographic observation that may be present on an antenatal ultrasound scan. They simply shrivel up and waste away. Pathology I was diagnosed with this 2 weeks ago. Isolated EIF and negative NIPT. Usually, when an echogenic genic focus is seen on ultrasound; its not a big deal. It is so common in babies with Asian ethnicity that it can't even be used as a marker. Several studies suggested a risk of about 1%. She also told us that in Europe they don't even report it since it's benign if not accompanies with any other concern. It is possible that calcium deposits in the muscle wall of the ventricles may cause these spots. My patients emotional health is just as important as their physical health, and I dont want them to worry unnecessarily. While it is impossible to be completely certain that no birth defects are present in the baby, most pregnancies with isolated ElF (no other abnormal ultrasound findings) will result in a healthy baby. I had the same thing told to me at my ultrasound today . Echogenic intracardiac focus March 5, 2021 March 5, 2021 dianaduartenguyen Birth Month Groups I had my 20 week ultrasound on 3/1/2021 I had a hunch there was something up when the tech told me she needed to take a few more pictures of the heart and some other parts after more than 30 mins into the appointment. I had one with my last baby. Disclaimer. 2020 Jan;99(5):e19014. Echogenic Intracardiac Focus: A bright white dot in the fetal heart An echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is a bright white spot in the fetal heart that looks like a tiny golf ball. No Down Syndrome. J Ultrasound Med. EIF a sonographic finding consisting of a bright echogenic area in the heart of fetus with a brightness similar to a bone 1 that moves synchronically towards atrioventricular valves. However, it can be found anywhere inside the heart, and on rare occasions, the bright spot isnt an isolated finding. May have flow reversal in arterial duct and oval foramen. "Some ultrasound findings, like an echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) are frequently detected on ultrasound," Dr. Chao says. How? Your guide to pregnancy-related abbreviations, PeriPAN: Getting pregnant and postpartum women mental health care faster. There you have it, youre done with your first radiology lecture. We recommend a third-trimester ultrasound examination to evaluate growth and consideration of weekly antenatal fetal surveillance beginning at 36 0/7 weeks of gestation (GRADE 1C); (12) for fetuses with isolated urinary tract dilation A1, we recommend an ultrasound examination at 32 weeks of gestation to determine if postnatal pediatric urology Careers. 8 found an isolated echogenic focus to be 8% sensitive in . Can be observed 1 in 5 pregnancy, during second and third trimester. An official website of the United States government. 203, 2nd floor, 71 Raintree, 2nd lane, Hindu colony, Near Swaminarayan temple The provider said it could be a soft marker for Down syndrome, or could turn out to be nothing to worry about at all. These minerals are what we call radiopaque. The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The first thing patients should know is just because your doctor picks something up on an ultrasound doesn't mean your baby is sick. Echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) constitutes a finding in the ultrasound study that indicates an area which is echogenically bright in the fetal heart and is as bright as the bone that moves synchronically to the atrioventricular valves. Expanded video and phoneconsultation appointments are also available through theMy Health Connectionpatient portal. Involves sub valvar apparatus of tricuspid or mitral valve. PDF Echogenic Intracardiac Focus (EIF) - Kaiser Permanente echogenic intracardiac focus should i be worried EIF is considered a normal pregnancy variation, but prenatal screening tests may be desirable to test for any abnormalities. We also have an echogenic focus, along with a couple other soft markers for downs. PMC Echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) April 11, 2023 | by jrglovexox Midwife called with Anatomy results and they found a shadow where baby's heart is. Prenatal diagnostic procedures can accurately identify certain problems present with the baby. In isolation it does not signify any heart defect. 2000;216 (2): 450-6. the presence of multiple or bilateral (more than one chamber) echogenic foci may increase the risk, there is no recognized direct association with. I had an amnio done same day and 48 hours later the FISH results were back and negative for all trisomies and triploidy. In general, it's suggested that women with this finding . 2019 Oct 11;22(4):253-264. doi: 10.1002/ajum.12180. EIF has no impact on heart function before or after birth and almost never requires follow-up testing.If a patient has already had an amniocentesis orchorionic villus sampling (CVS), or even a cell-free fetal DNA screen, then all of these findings are even less important. This bright spot is due to a bit of calcium in one of the muscles that attaches to the heart valve. Echogenic intracardiac focus is an ultrasound finding that is most commonly seen during the second and third trimester of pregnancy.