Modified myocardial performance index is not affected in fetuses with an isolated echogenic focus in the left ventricle

OBJECTIVES: We prospectively investigated the efficacy of modified myocardial performance index (mod-MPI) in the assessment of cardiac functions in fetuses with and without an isolated hyperechogenic focus (IHF) in the left ventricle and compared with conventional fetal echocardiography. METHODS: The study group consisted of 50 fetuses with only an IHF in the left ventricle, without any other cardiac or extracardiac anomalies; 50 fetuses without IHF served as controls. All fetal echocardiographic studies were performed between 20th and 24th weeks of gestation. Left ventricular functions were evaluated with both conventional echocardiographic methods (peak velocity of the aortic valve, mitral E/A ratio, fractional shortening) and mod-MPI. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of maternal age, BMI or gestational age at the time of examination (p > 0.05 for all). No statistically significant differences were found between the findings of conventional echocardiographic measurements and left ventricular mod-MPI between the study and control groups (p > 0.05 for all). CONCLUSION: Fetal left ventricular mod-MPI is not affected by the presence of an IHF in the fetal left ventricle between 20th and 24th gestational weeks and thus it does not need to be assessed in this situation.