Abstract: Objective: To explore the pulmonary vein spectral characteristics of fetal total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC). Methods: Fetal pulmonary vein spectral characteristics were analyzed retrospectively in cases with the prenatal diagnosis of TAPVC in the Ultrasound Department, Weifang Maternal and Child Health Hospital from February 2017 to June 2021. The fetal pulmonary vein spectral characteristics of TAPVC were summarized. Results: We enrolled 19 patients diagnosed with TAPVC (11 isolated types and 8 complex types) in the antenatal period, including 11 supracardiac cases, 4 cardiac cases, 4 infracardiac cases, and 8 cases combined with vertical vein obstruction. Whether the vertical vein obstruction was involved or not, the pulmonary vein spectrum of supracardiac and infracardiac types (including both isolated and complex types) was featured by a continuous lowvelocity pattern with aperiodic pulsation. The pulmonary vein spectrum of the intracardiac type (coronary sinus dilation) was consistent with that of normal pulmonary veins. Conclusion: Fetal pulmonary vein spectral changes have some value in TAPVC classification, but cannot be used to distinguish between supracardiac and infracardiac types. The pulmonary vein spectrum should be routinely scanned for TAPVC fetal diagnosis to further increase diagnostic confidence.

Key words: Echocardiography, Fetal, Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection, Pulmonary vein spectrum