Objective: In this pilot study we tested the feasibility of cardiac structures reconstruction from histologic sections in 12-13 weeks normal fetuses. Conventional autopsy is hampered at this gestational age because of the small size of the heart anatomical structures, while alternative non-invasive methods for pathology examination of the fetus are expensive, rarely available and lack accuracy data regarding the con rmation of rst trimester heart defects.Method: Normal hearts from fetuses aged 12-13 gestational weeks were removed for histological preparation, virtual reconstruction and cardiac structures analysis. All sections have been scanned and a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the whole organ has been rendered.Results: 5 cases were investigated. Visualization of the normal heart cavities, including atrio-ventricular septum was very good in all fetuses. The entire course of right and left ventricle out ow tracts was con dently con rmed, along the and branching pattern of aorta and pulmonary artery trunk. Conclusion:The use of 3D reconstruction of fetal heart histological sections in rst trimester may serve as an important audit to con rm the normalcy of heart structures. The histological and post processed information is retained, and this volume can be stored, reanalyzed or sent online for a second opinion.

After pregnancy termination or loss, histologic three-dimensional imaging can be used to confirm the presence of fetal cardiac malformations detected during first-trimester ultrasound examination.

The vascular architecture of the human liver is established at the end of the 10th week of gestation as a result of a complex process. Recent developments in ultrasonographic imaging facilitate the prenatal evaluation of this system. However, many of the involved mechanisms are poorly understood. The hepatic primordium is in contact with the vitelline veins and the umbilical veins, and by the end of the 6th week, the afferent venous system of the liver is acquired giving rise to the portal vein, the portal sinus, and the ductus venosus. The only afferent vein of the liver that remains open at birth is the portal vein. Also, the efferent venous system of the liver is formed and emerges from the vitelline veins.