Publication
Pre- and postoperative evaluation of congenital heart disease in children and adults with 64-section CT
Journal Paper/Review - Dec 22, 2010
Leschka Sebastian, Wildermuth Simon, Jenni Rolf, Prêtre René, Genoni Michele, Marincek Borut, Desbiolles Lotus, Husmann Lars, Oechslin Erwin, Alkadhi Hatem
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PubMed
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Citation
Type
Journal
Publication Date
Issn Electronic
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Brief description/objective
Although echocardiography is the imaging method of choice for diagnostic, preoperative, and postoperative evaluation of congenital heart disease, computed tomography (CT) is a helpful complementary imaging modality, particularly for postoperative evaluation. A thorough understanding of the normal anatomy and the morphologic features of congenital heart diseases is a prerequisite for choosing the optimal CT technique and achieving an accurate diagnosis. Furthermore, a close collaboration with a cardiologist with special training and expertise in congenital heart diseases is required. A sequential segmental approach should be used in evaluating morphologic features, especially during the review of CT images obtained in patients with rare congenital cardiac defects and in postoperative adult patients. To accurately document and interpret the altered flow conditions in patients with congenital heart disease, knowledge of the wide spectrum of surgical procedures and familiarity with the dedicated protocols for performing 64-section CT are needed.