• DATES: 23-24 September 2023

Dear friends and colleagues,

It is with great pleasure that we invite you to attend our London School of Ultrasound annual conference in 2023, which will be dedicated entirely to the early fetal heart. This conference promises to be an exciting and informative event for all professionals interested in the latest developments in the early detection and management of congenital heart defects (CHD).

As you may know, the first publications about first-trimester early echocardiography were published 33 years ago. Since then, there has been an increasing interest among enthusiasts in the early detection of CHD and early ECHO, who have been exploring the possibilities of early diagnosis of cardiac anomalies and trying to raise awareness and train medical professionals to scan the heart.

Today, there is a vast amount of scientific evidence that at least 50-60% of CHD are detectable at 11-13 weeks. Moreover, the new guidelines of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG) in 2023 finally included heart imaging in both basic and detailed protocols. This signifies a significant shift in the approach to early CHD screening and management protocols, and it is crucial that medical professionals stay up-to-date with the latest developments.

At our conference, you will have the opportunity to hear from leading experts in the field of fetal cardiology, who will share their insights on the latest techniques, research, and best practices for early fetal heart screening and management. You will also be able to network with other medical professionals who share your interest in this area, exchange ideas, and build new collaborations.

Furthermore, our experts are currently exploring the feasibility of scanning tiny hearts at the 10-week scan before NIPT, and this is a significant development worth exploring. Our conference is an opportunity to learn more about this new technique and other emerging technologies that are changing the way we approach CHD screening and management.

In conclusion, attending our London School of Ultrasound annual conference in 2023 is a must for all medical professionals interested in the latest developments in the field of the early fetal cardiology. We look forward to seeing you at this exciting event and sharing the latest knowledge and advancements in early CHD screening and management.

Early diagnosis and management of congenital heart defects:

• 12 reasons why screening for CHD at 10-11 or 12-14 weeks is preferable to at 20 weeks

• First-trimester screening for CHD and Early Echocardiography: what is the difference?

• Role of fetal cardiologist in early detection of CHD: working together

• Meta-analysis and systematic review: Performance of CHD screening (2022)

• FMF publications on CHD screening

• Updated ISUOG Practice Guidelines: Performance of 11-14-week ultrasound scan (2023)

• Early screening for CHD and referral pathways

• 10 weeks CHD screening: New approach and future pathways

• SlowflowHD: Revolution in Doppler imaging

• ISUOG guidelines on ultrasound safety: urgent need for correction

• NT, DV, TR and other surrogate markers: their role in CHD screening

• The technique of cardiac examination at 10-11 and 12-14 weeks

• Transabdominal and transvaginal cardiac scan

• Common patterns of CHD in the 1st trimester

• Missed TGA in the first trimester: Lessons from mistakes

• Common CHD: All the spectrum

• Rare CHD: Dozens of unusual cardiac anomalies

• CHD detectable only in the 1st trimester

• Main limitations of cardiac scan at 10-14 weeks

• Human genetic and early detection of CHD

• 22q11 deletion screening

• Role of exome in CHD

• Management of pregnancy with early diagnosis of CHD

• 4 clinical scenarios of CHD presentation

• How to implement 1st trimester CHD screening in the UK and worldwide?

The event will include:

• Important anomalies case discussions

• Videos

• Live Q&A

* Please note that the Faculty of the Conference and the final program will be published later.