BACKGROUND Blocked atrial bigeminy (BAB) and second-degree atrioventricular block with 2:1 conduction block (2:1 AVB) both present as ventricular bradycardia and can be difficult to distinguish by echocardiography. Since the prognosis and clinical management of these rhythms are different, an accurate diagnosis is essential. OBJECTIVE To identify magnetic and mechanical heart rate and rhythm parameters that could reliably distinguish BAB from 2:1 AVB. METHODS A retrospective fetal magnetocardiography (fMCG) and pulsed Doppler ultrasound study of 10 subjects with BAB and 7 subjects with 2:1 AVB was performed in order to identify parameters that could reliably distinguish BAB from 2:1 AVB. RESULTS Distinguishing BAB from 2:1 AVB by using fMCG was relatively straightforward because in BAB the ectopic P wave (P′) occurred early, resulting in a bigeminal (short-long) atrial rhythm. The normalized coupling interval of the ectopic beat (PP′ of the blocked beat to PP of the conducted beat) was 0.29 ± 0.03. In contrast, the echocardiographic assessment of inflow-outflow gave a normalized mechanical coupling interval (AA′/AA) near 0.5, which made it difficult to distinguish BAB from 2:1 AVB. Heart rate distinguished most subjects with BAB from those with 2:1 AVB (82 ± 5.7 beats/min vs 69 ± 4.2 beats/min), but was not a completely reliable indicator. In most subjects, BAB alternated with sinus rhythm or other rhythms, resulting in complex heart rate and rhythm patterns. CONCLUSIONS Fetal BAB and 2:1 AV block can be difficult to distinguish using echocardiography because in many fetuses with BAB the mechanical rhythm does not accurately reflect the magnetic rhythm. fMCG provides a more reliable means of making a differential diagnosis.

Background Primary heart tumors in fetuses are rare and mainly represent rhabdomyomas. The tumors have a variable expression and can be associated with arrhythmias, including both wide and narrow QRS tachycardia. Although multiple Doppler techniques exist to assess fetal heart rhythm, it can be difficult to record precise electrophysiological pathologies in fetal life. Objective Investigations defining precise electrophysiological diagnosis were performed using fetal magnetocardiography (fMCG). Methods In addition to routine fetal echocardiography, fMCG was used to investigate electrophysiologic rhythm patterns in a series of 10 fetuses with cardiac rhabdomyomas. Results The mean gestational age of the fetuses was 28.6 weeks (SD ± 4.7 weeks). The multiple rhabdomyomas were mainly located in the right and left ventricles as well as around the AV groove. Arrhythmias or conduction abnormalities were diagnosed in all 10 patients, although only six of them were referred due to that indication. Remarkably, 80% (8/10) had associated Wolff-Parkinson-White pre-excitation. In addition, we found prominent p waves in four fetuses. Conclusion In fetuses with rhabdomyomas, a disease where rhythm pathology is common, precise electrophysiological diagnosis can now be made by fMCG. fMCG is complimentary to echocardiography for rhythm assessment, and can detect conduction abnormalities that are not possible to diagnose prenatally with M-mode or pulsed Doppler ultrasound. Risk factor assessment using fMCG can support pregnancy management and post-natal treatment and follow-up.