Methods for Diagnosing Congenital Anomalies of the Aortic Arch in Children. Advantages and Disadvantages

Abstract

Congenital heart defects (CHD) account for a third of all congenital malformations and occur in 0.7-1.7% of newborns. Congenital anomalies of the aortic arch (CAAA) are structural abnormalities that affect the development of the aorta and its branches. Congenital anomalies of the aortic arch is very important to diagnose in the neonatal period, as early diagnosis and proper treatment are key factors in improving the long-term prognosis. The purpose of this review was to study methods for detecting aortic arch abnormalities in infants in order to increase the sensitivity of screening and diagnostic accuracy. Literature was searched in electronic databases PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Google Scholar and an electronic library using keywords. The analysis included 20 sources that met the inclusion criteria. CTA exhibits higher sensitivity in detecting extracardiac structural malformations compared to transthoracic echocardiography, and MRI outpaces transthoracic echocardiography in determining the number of shunts, accurately measures myocardial function, and provides isotropic three-dimensional datasets for complex cardiac abnormalities.