Multidetector Row Computed Tomography Evaluation in Pediatric Heart Diseases-Additional Information to Echocardiography and Conventional Cardiac Catherterization

Abstract

Multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) scanners are a widely available, accurate, and noninvasive technique for the diagnosis of pediatric cardiovascular disorders. A lots of articles published regarding the usefulness of MDCT mostly describe that it can be an alternative to the invasive catheterization and angiography. The unique diagnostic features of this imaging modality have been largely ignored or disregarded. We presented the pathological conditions that cannot be diagnosed by conventional angiography with cardiac catheterization but can be accurately diagnosed by MDCT. We focused on the diagnostic advantages of MDCT, and indicated four pathological conditions. (1) When Blalock-Taussig shunt total occlusion prevents catheter insertion into the artificial vessel and angiography is ruled out, the peripheral pulmonary artery during the peripheral pulmonary artery can be imaged and diagnosed using MDCT based on blood flow supplied from many small collateral vessels originating from the aorta. (2) The location and protrusion of the device in the vessel after coil embolization to treat patent ductus arteriosus can be accurately visualized by virtual endoscopy using MDCT. (3) Calcification of patches, synthetic blood vessels, and other prostheses that is indistinct on conventional angiograms is clear on MDCT. (4) Simultaneous MDCT observations of the anatomical relationships between arterial and venous systems on the same image can clarify the detail diagnosis for surgical treatment. MDCT is useful not only as a non-invasive alternative to conventional angiography, but also as a tool for specific morphological diagnoses. This article focuses on the review of unique advantages of MDCT in comparison to other imaging modalities with citing our previous articles.