Sonographic appearance of fetal structural heart diseases determined using wide-band Doppler

Background: The objectives in this report are to present data on echocardiographic imaging of fetuses with congenital structural heart diseases using wide-band Doppler and to discuss the practical application of this unique display modality in the field of fetal echocardiography. Methods: We performed fetal echocardiography using wide-band Doppler technology and examined fetuses that were at various gestational ages between January 2004 and December 2007. Results: Satisfactory blood flow signals could be obtained using the wide-band Doppler; this has increased the understanding of fetal cardiovascular hemodynamics. Conclusions: Wide-band Doppler appears a color flow mapping method that can contribute toward better understanding of fetal cardiovascular hemodynamics; it is also expected to provide greater accuracy in fetal echocardiography.