Surat, India.
Case report
The following images and video show a case of the ectopia cordis diagnosed at 16 weeks of pregnancy of a 24 years old woman with non contributive history. The parents opted for the termination of the pregnancy.
Images 1, 2, and 3: 16 weeks of pregnancy; the image 1 shows a sagittal scan of the fetus with a prominence above the insertion of the umbilical cord, representing ectopic fetal heart. The fetal thorax doesn"t contain a typical cardiac structure. The image 2 represents a transverse scan at the level of the stomach (ST). In the ventral part of the abdomen a hypoechoic protrusion, representing the ectopic heart, can be seen (arrow). The image 3 shows color Doppler transverse scan of the fetal abdomen at the level of the stomach. A rich Doppler signal can be seen in the place of the ectopic heart, continuing as the umbilical cord.