ABNORMAL PULMONARY VENOUS RETURN DIAGNOSED PRENATALLY BY PULSED DOPPLER FLOW IMAGING

Pulsed Doppler ultrasound has been used to characterize distinctive pu lmonary venous flow patterns in the normal fetus and child. Changes in these characteristic flow patterns have been related to abnormal atri al and ventricular hemodynamics. We report a case of total anomalous p ulmonary venous return diagnosed prenatally because of and abnormal pu lsed Doppler echocardiographic flow pattern, even though color flow ma pping appeared to demonstrate normal pulmonary venous drainage. This c ase demonstrated the importance of obtaining pulsed Doppler pulmonary venous flow profiles during fetal echocardiography, especially in case d of complex congenital heart disease.