An echogenic intracardiac focus (or EIF) is a small bright spot seen on a developing baby's heart during an ultrasound. The cause of EIF is unknown, but the condition is generally harmless. EIF is considered a normal pregnancy variation, but prenatal screening tests may be desirable to test for any abnormalities.

Should I worry about echogenic focus?

But echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is almost never something to worry about. It shows up as a bright spot on the heart in imaging, and it's thought to be a microcalcification on the heart muscle. EIF occurs in as many as 5 percent of all pregnancies.

How serious is an echogenic focus found in heart?

An echogenic focus on its own poses no health risk to the fetus, and when the baby is born, there are no risks to their health or cardiac functioning as a result of an EIF. It is considered a variation of normal heart anatomy and is not associated with any short- or long-term health problems.

How common is echogenic cardiac focus?

If there is more than one bright spot, they are called echogenic foci. This common ultrasound finding is seen in about 1 out of every 20 or 30 pregnancies (~3-5%). An echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) does not affect health of the baby or how the baby's heart works.

What percentage of babies with EIF have Down syndrome?

The results showed existence of EIF in 3.8% of all fetuses. The prevalence of down syndrome among the population studied was 0.4% with all having EIF.

Awareness about Echogenic Intracardiac Focus by Dr. Shruti Jain | Kailash Hospital, Sector 71, Noida

Does an isolated EIF mean Down syndrome?

Although some of these markers may have value, most have not stood the test of time well. Most of the early studies on soft markers were performed in high-risk individuals (women over 35 to 37 years of age). These studies were also performed in patients who had not had any other type of screening.

Does echogenic intracardiac focus means Down syndrome?

Conclusion: Fetuses with an echogenic intracardiac focus have a significantly increased risk of Down syndrome. 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.

How serious is echogenic intracardiac focus?

An echogenic intracardiac focus (or EIF) is a small bright spot seen on a developing baby's heart during an ultrasound. The cause of EIF is unknown, but the condition is generally harmless. EIF is considered a normal pregnancy variation, but prenatal screening tests may be desirable to test for any abnormalities.

Can echogenic focus go away?

Related Stories. The echogenic intracardiac focus is usually caught on an ultrasound examination in the first trimester ( about 14 weeks of pregnancy). In some cases, the condition disappears by the time the pregnant woman comes in for her next ultrasound in the second trimester.

What does it mean when a baby has calcium in the heart?

Echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is a small bright spot seen in the baby's heart on an ultrasound exam. This is thought to represent mineralization, or small deposits of calcium, in the muscle of the heart. EIFs are found in about 3–5% of normal pregnancies and cause no health problems.

What causes an echogenic intracardiac focus?

The cause of an echogenic intracardiac focus is unknown. It is possible that calcium deposits in the muscle wall of the ventricles may cause these spots. Calcium is a natural mineral found in the body. Areas of the body that have more calcium, such as bones, show up brighter on an ultrasound.

How important is a cardiac echogenic focus in a routine fetal examination?

Echogenic foci are commonly seen inside heart chambers during routine fetal heart scanning, the left ventricle being the most frequent location. Although they probably represent a normal variant of papillary muscle development their presence should be interpreted as a possible risk for congenital heart defects.

What causes white spot on baby's heart?

An intracardiac echogenic focus (ICEF) is a bright white spot seen in the baby's heart during an ultrasound. There can be one or multiple bright spots and they occur when an area of the heart muscle has extra calcium. Calcium is a natural mineral found in the body.

Are there signs of Down syndrome in pregnancy?

Though the likelihood of carrying a baby with Down syndrome can be estimated by screening during pregnancy, you won't experience any symptoms of carrying a child with Down syndrome. At birth, babies with Down syndrome usually have certain characteristic signs, including: flat facial features. small head and ears.

How can you tell a baby has Down syndrome?

1. A flattened face, especially the bridge of the nose.
2. Almond-shaped eyes that slant up.
3. A short neck.
4. Small ears.
5. A tongue that tends to stick out of the mouth.
6. Tiny white spots on the iris (colored part) of the eye.
7. Small hands and feet.

Can you tell if a baby has Down syndrome in an ultrasound?

An ultrasound can detect fluid at the back of a fetus's neck, which sometimes indicates Down syndrome. The ultrasound test is called measurement of nuchal translucency. During the first trimester, this combined method results in more effective or comparable detection rates than methods used during the second trimester.

What causes calcium deposit on heart?

Calcium is a mineral found in your blood. As blood repeatedly flows over the aortic valve, calcium deposits can build up on the heart valves (aortic valve calcification).

Can babies get calcium deposits?

METASTATIC calcification may be defined as a deposition of calcium or calcium salts in abnormal locations in the body. This manifestation is quite uncommon in children and is especially unusual in the newborn.

What is single echogenic intracardiac focus?

An echogenic intracardiac focus is a small bright spot seen within the region of the heart seen during an ultrasound examination. Most commonly found in the left ventricle of the developing heart, it is important to understand that it doesn't affect the functioning of the heart per se.

Can Down syndrome be identified at 20 week ultrasound?

Robyn Horsager-Boehrer explains step-by-step what obstetricians are looking for when they conduct 18- to 20-week ultrasounds on pregnant women. You'll see as they check for birth defects such as Down syndrome and spina bifida.

What markers did your Down syndrome baby have?

Certain features detected during a second trimester ultrasound exam are potential markers for Down's syndrome, and they include dilated brain ventricles, absent or small nose bone, increased thickness of the back of the neck, an abnormal artery to the upper extremities, bright spots in the heart, 'bright' bowels, mild ...

Is increased echogenicity bad?

We show that increased renal parenchymal echogenicity on postnatal US is a strong predictor of compromised renal function.

What are soft markers for Down syndrome?

The most commonly studied soft markers of aneuploidy include a thickened nuchal fold, long bones shortening, mild fetal pyelectasis, echogenic bowel, echogenic intracardiac focus, FMF angle > 90 degrees, pathologic velocity of Ductus venosus and choroid plexus cyst.

How common is echogenic intracardiac focus in left ventricle?

The majority of the echogenic intracardiac foci (87.6%) were located in the left ventricle, while 4.8% of the foci were right-sided and 7.6% were bilateral. Among the 14 aneuploid fetuses, 14% had bilateral echogenic intracardiac foci and 7% had right-sided foci.

How many markers are there for Down syndrome?

The NT measurement and the levels of the five markers in your blood are used, together with your age, to estimate your likelihood of having a pregnancy affected by Down syndrome. In pregnancies with Down syndrome, PAPP-A, AFP, and uE3 levels tend to be low, and NT measurement, inhA, and hCG levels tend to be raised.