Prenatal diagnosis of aortic insufficiency.

The prenatal diagnosis of various forms of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction has been reported in detail. However, the appearance and the characteristics of fetal aortic insufficiency have been described only in association with complete absence of the value. We report here a case of aortic insufficiency associated with severe aortic stenosis. Features characteristic of insufficiency were severe cardiomegaly due to left ventricle dilatation and the hypocontractility of the myocardium. The aortic root was enormously dilated and the semilunar valve showed thick and dysplastic cusps. On color Doppler, the retrograde high-velocity regurgitant jet was clearly visible.