1st Trimester Echocardiography & Early CHD Screening
Dear friends and colleagues,
It is with great pleasure that we invite you to attend our London School of Ultrasound annual conference in 2023, which will be dedicated entirely to the early fetal heart. This conference promises to be an exciting and informative event for all professionals interested in the latest developments in the early detection and management of congenital heart defects (CHD).
As you may know, the first publications about first-trimester early echocardiography were published 33 years ago. Since then, there has been an increasing interest among enthusiasts in the early detection of CHD and early ECHO, who have been exploring the possibilities of early diagnosis of cardiac anomalies and trying to raise awareness and train medical professionals to scan the heart.
Today, there is a vast amount of scientific evidence that at least 50-60% of CHD are detectable at 11-13 weeks. Moreover, the new guidelines of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG) in 2023 finally included heart imaging in both basic and detailed protocols. This signifies a significant shift in the approach to early CHD screening and management protocols, and it is crucial that medical professionals stay up-to-date with the latest developments.
At our conference, you will have the opportunity to hear from leading experts in the field of fetal cardiology, who will share their insights on the latest techniques, research, and best practices for early fetal heart screening and management. You will also be able to network with other medical professionals who share your interest in this area, exchange ideas, and build new collaborations.
Furthermore, our experts are currently exploring the feasibility of scanning tiny hearts at the 10-week scan before NIPT, and this is a significant development worth exploring. Our conference is an opportunity to learn more about this new technique and other emerging technologies that are changing the way we approach CHD screening and management.
In conclusion, attending our London School of Ultrasound annual conference in 2023 is a must for all medical professionals interested in the latest developments in the field of the early fetal cardiology. We look forward to seeing you at this exciting event and sharing the latest knowledge and advancements in early CHD screening and management.
Best regards,
Dr Fred Ushakov
10 Main Advantages of Early Fetal Cardiac Screening
- Early detection of CHD
- Detection of severe cardiac anomalies with the worst prognosis
- Before or simultaneous with NIPT
- Appropriate fetal dimensions for transvaginal fetal heart scanning (TVS)
- Combined use of TAS and TVS
- Some CHD are more prominent at the early stages
- Time for additional tests and their results (karyotype, arrays, exome, genetic, TORCH, etc) and for counselling by the multidisciplinary team (MDT) wich includes fetal cardiologists
- Option of surgical termination for lethal/severe conditions
- Understating of the natural history of cardiac anomalies
- If something is unclear on the early fetal scan of the heart, there is always time for detailed follow-up echocardiography at later stages.