Electromechanical (EM) coupling is a crucial aspect of cardiac physiology, and alterations in EM coupling are often associated with cardiomyopathy. Assessment of EM function in utero has not been possible because it requires simultaneous evaluation of electrical and mechanical activity.
While mechanical activity can be assessed by echo/Doppler ultrasound, electrical activity is difficult to record during ultrasound scanning. The fetal ECG typically shows low signal amplitude and the fetal MCG is obscured by large interference from the scanner.
Recently, however, we have successfully implemented interference suppression techniques that enable resolution of the fetal MCG during echo/Doppler scanning. Patient studies are being performed to evaluate the potential clinical utility of this dual-modality technique. The research is being conducted in collaboration with Dr. Janette Strasburger at the Medical College of Wisconsin.