Abstract
The objective of this study was to establish an anatomical atlas and a three-dimensional model of the fetal heart. To do this, we created a 60-μm cross-sectional image database of the heart of a Chinese male fetus. A 31-week stillborn fetus with no congenital defects was used as the model. All thoracic organs were removed from the thoracic cavity after formalin fixation and then frozen at −25°C for 2 h. Frozen serial sections, 60-μm thick, were prepared and macroshot with a digital camera to obtain image data. Eight hundred seventy-one cross-sectional photos of the fetal heart were made at a resolution of 3888 × 2592 pixels. The atrioventricular cavity, as well as other fine structures, was revealed in the images, showing a clear boundary between the peripheral tissues. This rich database showing the three-dimensional features and anatomy of the fetal heart will be useful for teaching, scientific research, and clinical applications.
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Pei, Q., Liang, M., Huang, X. et al. Construction of a Three-Dimensional Anatomical Database of the Human Fetal Heart. Pediatr Cardiol 31, 234–237 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-009-9596-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-009-9596-x