Learn more about, Learn About What to Expect's Pregnancy & Baby App. Echogenic Intracardiac Focus (EIF) found on heart = soft marker for 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. To be honest, its a bit tricky! We can find multiple bright spots in the babys heart! He said it happens in 1-5% of pregnancies. 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. "Some ultrasound findings, like an echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) are frequently detected on ultrasound," Dr. Chao says. It is NOT an abnormality and is NOT associated with heart defects. I had the same thing told to me at my ultrasound today . The person doing the ultrasound, called the ultrasound technician or sonographer . It was only flagged for me because the baby showed 3 different spots. 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. Rev Port Cardiol. Usually, when an echogenic genic focus is seen on ultrasound; its not a big deal. Our baby had an echogenic focus on the left ventricle as well at our 20 week ultrasound. Assured me my baby is developing just fine and that nothing is wrong with her heart. But echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is almost never something to worry about. An EIF is one clue which can contribute to the chances of a chromosome problem existing. PDF Echogenic Intracardiac Focus (EIF) - Kaiser Permanente Four of 22 fetuses (18%) with trisomy 21 had an echogenic intracardiac focus, compared with 62 (4.7%) of 1312 fetuses without Down syndrome who also had an echogenic intracardiac focus (P = .004). They told me the only association of an EIF is Down syndrome but if youve had other blood work done and your odds for Down syndrome came back low (the 1 in 10,000) the EIF is most likely nothing. This is thought to represent mineralization, or small deposits of calcium, in the muscle of the heart. It is associated with a higher risk of Down syndrome but in most cases, its just a benign finding. The views expressed in community are solely the opinions of participants, and do not reflect those of What to Expect. Find advice, support and good company (and some stuff just for fun). This muscle appears dim and dark on the ultrasound except for the valves and the septum. People ask, Is it taking up space so normal brain tissue cant develop? 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. The OB said the standard of care is to then proceed to a level 2 ultra sound. Echogenic intracardiac focus (EICF) is defined as a focus of echogenicity comparable to bone, in the region of the papillary muscle in either or both ventricles of the fetal heart . It basically covers every aspect of being pregnant from the psychological effect its going to have on the parents to the medical side of things (Zika virus, prenatal screening, and the safety of medications during pregnancy, as well as a brand-new section on postpartum birth control). 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. Carrying a genetic dislocation for Down syndrome. Radiology. He does have a speech delay but I dont think there is any correlation. To determine whether an echogenic intracardiac focus identified in the second-trimester fetus is related to an increased risk of Down syndrome. Anyone with Echogenic Intracardiac Focus - April 2022 Babies | Forums Bright spot seen in heart during evaluation of fetus. Generally the risks are low if there are no other risk factors. You can selectively provide your consent below to allow such third party embeds. Your doctor will probably refer you to a maternal-fetal medicine doctor for advanced imaging of the findings, just to be safe. I know these are hard times, but we got this! {"url":"/signup-modal-props.json?lang=us"}, Weerakkody Y, Goel A, El-Feky M, et al. 8. Bromley and co-workers 1995(6). Why EIF is seen in some babies and not others is unknown. Echogenic foci, left ventricle: That's what was written in the ultrasound report. Bradley KE, Santulli TS, Gregory KD et-al. AJR Am J Roentgenol. Epub 2020 Mar 9. Mumbai. My baby has this thing, and a level 2 ultra sound won't be able to tell me if she actually has downs or another chromosomal disorder. ADVERTISEMENT: Supporters see fewer/no ads. Current lifestyle trends are incorporated too: juice bars, raw diets, e-cigarettes, push presents, baby bump posting, the lowdown on omega-3 fatty acids, grass-fed and organic, health food fads, and GMOs). The tightness of the association between an isolated EIF and aneuploidy continues to be debated. I appreciate all of the info! echogenic intracardiac focus The Bump Thank you for your collaboration in keeping our community healthy, and remember we are here for you! A small amount of amniotic fluid, which contains some fetal cells, is removed and tested. ElF is considered a normal variation in fetal development and has not been found to cause any long-term health problems or heart problems for the baby. The second and third findings are markers, which means theyre loosely associated with (but not causes of) chromosomal conditions such as trisomy 21, or Down syndrome. The specialist said that any one of those 4 things would be nothing to worry about but since I had all 4 they wanted to do further testing since 2 are signs of Downs syndrome and 2 are signs of triploidy. After delivery, there is no use for these arteries. eCollection 2021. I will. Fetuses with an echogenic intracardiac focus have a significantly increased risk of Down syndrome. In general, it's suggested that women with this finding . 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. pregnancy, Next Article I just had my anatomy scan done yesterday and my doctor called me this morning to tell me that EIF showed up - and she is recommending me to Genetics Testing for further testing to be done. Bright Spot Echogenic Focus And Down Syndrome | babyMed.com 2005-2023Everyday Health, Inc., a Ziff Davis company. government site. May cause obstruction to mitral/ tricuspid/ aortic or pulmonary valve. Lorente AMR, Moreno-Cid M, Rodrguez MJ, Bueno G, Tenas JM, Romn C, Arias , Pascual A. Taiwan J Obstet Gynecol. If there are no problems or chromosome abnormalities, EIFs are considered normal changes, or variants. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Which is just a fancy word for a substance or a material that appears bright on a scan. Echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) Has anyone ever heard of Echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF)? Amniocentesis is a diagnostic procedure available until about 22 weeks of pregnancy for prenatal diagnosis of chromosome abnormalities. 9. Most commonly found in the left ventricle of the developing heart . Anderson N, Jyoti R. Relationship of isolated fetal intracardiac echogenic focus to trisomy 21 at the mid-trimester sonogram in women younger than 35 years. It shows up as a bright spot on the heart in imaging, and it's thought to be a microcalcification on the heart muscle. They may be more common in the Asian population 5 . Dadar East . Expecting parents encounter an abundance of medical terms during pregnancy. Your Pregnancy Matters, Biventricular EIFs are considered to be a higher risk for aneuploidy. We also use content and scripts from third parties that may use tracking technologies. Has anyone gave birth to healthy babies t During our 13 week ultrasound the doctor detected a white spot or EIF (Echogenic Intracardiac Focus) in our baby's heart. In short, medicine and physicians see things from the patients perspective. EIFs are found in about 3-5% of normal pregnancies and cause no health problems.") My doctor didnt seem to be too worried, since it's the only soft marker for DS they were able to see. I have to go back in 3. official website and that any information you provide is encrypted Please specify a reason for deleting this reply from the community. While I tend toward transparency, I do take it case by case. Front Genet. Unable to process the form. EIF occurs in as many as 5 percent of all pregnancies. 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. It forms this thick deposit of minerals that infiltrates inside the hearts muscle. This page was last edited on 3 February 2022, at 20:50. thank you so much-that does give me some reassurance. Find advice, support and good company (and some stuff just for fun). Become a Gold Supporter and see no third-party ads. December 2013. 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. May have flow reversal in arterial duct and oval foramen. Radiology. He also said that the echogenic focus will go away either before or after birth. I had an amnio done same day and 48 hours later the FISH results were back and negative for all trisomies and triploidy. Winter TC, Anderson AM, Cheng EY et-al. The symptoms on the ultrasound are small head circumference (measuring 8th percentile), echogenic intracardiac focus and two very small benign echogenic foci on the liver. Bright spot seen in heart during evaluation of fetus. 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. LV was described as a duplicated focus. It is NOT an abnormality and is NOT associated with heart defects. Find a Doctor Your post will be hidden and deleted by moderators. This is thought to represent mineralization, or small deposits of calcium, in the muscle of the heart. But on average, these babies weigh 6.5 pounds and arrive after 38 weeks of pregnancy not very small or very early. However, it can be seen in any pregnancy, regardless of race. Every machine has its particular properties and a different mechanism of action compared to another. 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. Doctors involve in this clinics having vast experience in this field. Ultrasound Diagnosis of Fetal Anomalies. At the time the article was last revised Jeremy Jones had no recorded disclosures. EIF is considered a normal pregnancy variation, but prenatal screening tests may be desirable to test for any abnormalities. 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. In isolation, it is not a risk factor for chromosomal anomaly. Several studies suggested a risk of about 1%. The frequency of the detection of fetal echogenic intracardiac foci with respect to maternal race. If you are using our Services via a browser you can restrict, block or remove cookies through your web browser settings. But echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is almost never something to worry about. 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. But enough about that for now. Echogenic focus is common animals found in which doesn't interfere with normal cardiac activity . I was a bit worried during pregnancy but everything turned out good healthwise! Several studies suggested a risk of about 1%. They simply shrivel up and waste away. Echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) April 11, 2023 | by jrglovexox. 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. Prenatal screening tests can help find out if there is a higher or lower chance of having a baby with a certain problem. Please whitelist our site to get all the best deals and offers from our partners. The good news is that most of these cases disappear by the second half of the third trimester and have no consequences on the babys health and well-being. Again, if its an isolated finding, we dont worry about it. Sometimes, one or more small bright spots are seen in one of the babys heart chambers, most frequently in the ventricles, or pumping chambers. This is thought to represent mineralization, or small deposits of calcium, in the muscle of the heart. 89 (6): 945-8. These findings have been linked with an increased risk of Down syndrome and trisomy 18. 8600 Rockville Pike Our doctor sent us to get a fetal echocardiogram where the doctor pretty much said that it's 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. Hi, I'm new to posting, but I wanted to see if anyone has had or is having the same experience. However, in any pregnancy, women are offered optional prenatal tests that can help find specific kinds of birth defects, including Down syndrome. The presence or absence of an echogenic intracardiac focus was noted. They are considered to represent mineralization within the papillary muscles. How important is a cardiac echogenic focus in a routine fetal examination? EIF prenatal ultrasound findings During pregnancy; however, we have to be careful with what machine we use. Its a classic bestseller book with over 18 million copies sold. Anyone else experience this before ? 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. Echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is a relatively common sonographic observation that may be present on an antenatal ultrasound scan. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Sujyot Heart Clinic have been providing different services for cardiography and Doppler related services. Sometimes; however, when a mineral such as calcium aggregates together. Please select a reason for escalating this post to the WTE moderators: Connect with our community members by starting a discussion. Look up EIF on this apptons of people with the same and the absolute majority have had zero issues and healthy babies. We strive to provide you with a high quality community experience. 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. However, it can be found anywhere inside the heart, and on rare occasions, the bright spot isnt an isolated finding. Your post will be hidden and deleted by moderators. The results indicate EIF. I get that they get a 'more detailed look' but really what is there to see? It is not a birth defect. You can also usethe portalto email your doctor. We strive to provide you with a high quality community experience. The results indicate EIF. An echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is a relatively common finding, even in otherwise normal fetuses. 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 . 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. Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Helping you understand scary (but often harmless) pregnancy ultrasound Sonographic identification of an echogenic intracardiac focus was associated with a fourfold increased risk of Down syndrome (risk ratio 4.3, 95% confidence interval 1.5-12.3). Results: 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. Echogenic Intracardiac Focus - Should I get the level 2 Ultra - Reddit If you feel a message or content violates these standards and would like to request its removal please submit the following information and our moderating team will respond shortly. I know these things are worrisome but if I were you Id just ignore it. Four of 22 fetuses (18%) with trisomy 21 had an echogenic intracardiac focus, compared with 62 (4.7%) of 1312 fetuses without Down syndrome who also had an echogenic intracardiac focus (P = .004). 2021 Mar 26;12:626044. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2021.626044. It is not healthy for you or the baby. It is considered a variation of normal heart anatomy and is not associated with any short- or long-term health problems. That is usually done between 15 and 20 weeks of pregnancy (during the second trimester). It does not affect the development of the baby or the function of the heart. EIF is more frequently found in babies whose mothers have Asian ancestry. Echogenic Focus (EIF): Definition, Causes, Treatment - Verywell Family An echogenic intracardiac focus (or EIF) is a small bright spot seen on a developing baby's heart during an ultrasound. 3. The dr. Multiple isolated intracardiac echogenic foci. Are they significant Hello everyone I had my anatomy scan today, and all looked well except they said baby seemed to have a echogenic intracardiac focus in the left ventricle. National Library of Medicine This site needs JavaScript to work properly. Group Leaders arent expected to spend any additional time in the community, and are not held to a set schedule. I had one with my last baby. This educational content is not medical or diagnostic advice. I also did NIPT testing at 13 weeks and came back low risk for everything and so did my NT scan at 13 weeks. 4. 2019 Oct 11;22(4):253-264. doi: 10.1002/ajum.12180. Your Pregnancy Matters, Appointment 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. You already had the harmony test and got good results, so at this point you should just try to relaxand enjoy your healthy pregnancy! This bright spot is due to a bit of calcium in one of the muscles that attaches to the heart valve. My son had an EIF at 18 weeks and he did not have Down syndrome. [2] Results take about two weeks. Poorly Controlled seizure unusual presentation of long QT sydrome. 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.