Clinical & Experimental Cardiology
Open Access
ISSN: 2155-9880
ISSN: 2155-9880
Tamara Feygin
Perelman Medical School - UPenn, USA
Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Clin Exp Cardiolog
A variety of congenital heart diseases (CHD) may be diagnosed prenatally. Traditionally, the fetal heart was primarily assessed by fetal echography. However, fetal MRI has been proven as a helpful imaging tool in detection of cardiovascular anomalies in utero. Numerous conditions, including aorta coarctation, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, tetralogy of Fallout, cardiac aneurysms, pericardial/cardiac tumors may be successfully detected on MR imaging. In addition, presence of other coexisting anomalies outside of the cardio-vascular system may be revealed. Some cardio-vascular anomalies may be more than an isolated problem and could be a part of an underlying systemic/genetic condition. Even in the absence of genetic abnormalities, infants with CHD are at increased risk of brain lesions (15-45%) or neurodevelopmental delay. The demonstration of a full spectrum of fetal anomalies provides extremely valuable information to clinicians and parents-to be. Fetal MR may be a feasible addition for timely and precise diagnosis of cardiac disease and associated anomalies. Prenatal imaging therefore helps to predict pregnancy outcome and prepares couples for the birth of a child with an abnormality. The obtained information may also assist in thorough screening of fetal patients for eligibility for fetal treatment. It may help to prognosticate to some degree important issues of patient�??s developmental outcome and quality of life.
Tamara Feygin is currently an Associate Professor of Clinical Radiology at the University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, and a Pediatric Neuroradiologist at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (USA). Her primary interests are fetal and neonatal imaging. She led the development and implementation of magnetic resonance “fluoroscopy” in clinical practice for assessment of dynamic processes in fetuses. She is a dedicated educator and mentor for medical students, radiology residents and radiology and neuroradiology fellows. She is the Co-author of several books, chapters and scientific peer-reviewed papers. She has been invited to present her work nationally and internationally. She is a Member of the European Society of Neuroradiology, the Radiological Society of North America, the Society for Pediatric Radiology, and a Senior Member of the American Society of Neuroradiology.