Sonography of fetal VSD. These ultrasound and color Doppler images show a VSD in the muscular part of the ventricular septum of the fetal heart. This type of VSD is called a ventricular septal defect. Flow is seen across the defect in the septum, from left ventricle to the right (color Doppler images). There are 4 types of VSD:

VSDs are usually diagnosed with an echocardiogram, or ultrasound of the heart. First trimester screening for chromosomal abnormalities is a good screening tool to identify patients who might be at an increased risk for cardiac defects. VSDs defects can be diagnosed as early as 12 weeks gestation.

A VSD appears on ultrasound (US) as an interruption of the septum. If the VSD is small, it can be very difficult to identify. It is often hard to define the size and course of the VSD because the muscular septum is a three-dimensional structure, and the defects may be tortuous and multiple.

Detection of fetal VSD is done by cardiac ultrasound (echocardiogram) performed between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy. The methods typically adopted by doctors and cardiologists are: Fetal Echocardiography Sound waves (ultrasound) are used in this test to produce a moving image of the heart.