The role of ultrasound in the antenatal diagnosis of ventricular septal defect

Background: Heart defects are identified as the most prevalent of all congenital anomalies with ventricular septal defect being the most common diagnosis both antenatally and within the first year of life (Wang 2023). Research has identified that aetiology of intraventricular septal defect is multifactorial with increased prevalence positively correlated to significant improvements in healthcare. However, most congenital heart defects occur in low risk pregnancies without either maternal or fetal risk factors suggesting diagnosis is heavily reliant on cardiac anomaly screening during routine obstetric ultrasound examination (Shan et al., 2022).

Purpose: The purpose of this poster is to share examples of normal cardiac views along with those demonstrating ventricular septal defects with the aim of educating sonographers and equipping them with skills and knowledge to take forward into their practice.

Summary of content: The poster presentation will include evaluation of ultrasound as a chosen modality in detecting ventricular septal defect. The use of grey scale and Doppler ultrasound will be explored and differentials discussed.