thorax and abdomen of a 20-week human fetus

The thorax and abdomen of a 20-week human fetus dissected to show the orientation of the heart in relation to the remaining organs (liver, stomach). The echocardiographic first plane (yellow-dotted line) starting just below the level of the diaphragm. (b) Abdominal echocardiographic view showing the fetal stomach to the left. (c) View of the apex pointing to the left. (d-f) A composite of echocardiogram (d), dissection (e), and histological section (f) illustrating the findings in the four-chamber plane. The LV is dissected anterior to the annulus of the mitral valve. Ao: Aorta, E: Esophagus, LA: Left atrium, LV: Left ventricle, MV: Mitral valve, OF: Oval fossa, PT: Pulmonary trunk, RA: Right atrium, RV: Right ventricle, St: Stomach, SIF: Superior interatrial fold, TV: Tricuspid valve