Right aortic arch in the fetus

Abstract

The diagnosis of a right-sided aortic arch can be made by fetal echocardiography, either as an isolated lesion or in association with other cardiac malformations, from as early as 12 weeks' gestation. It can be difficult to distinguish from a double arch. Its increasing incidence over time in our series probably indicates that the diagnosis was previously overlooked. Karyotyping in the absence of other abnormal findings may be unnecessary in every case, but establishment of 22q11 microdeletion status in those cases with other anomalies is important.