Systematic diagnostic method using magnetic resonance imaging to analyze viscero-bronchial-cardiovascular anomalies in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease

Abstract

Segmental analysis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed in 300 patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) (182 cyanotic CHD and 118 acyanotic CHD), between 20 days and 18 years of age. The usefulness of MRI in systematic diagnosis of CHD, which had previously been documented by angiography and echocardiography, was assessed. Electrocardiographyically gated MRI was performed by spin echo and gradient refocused imaging techniques operating at 0.5 tesla. In all 300 patients, not only cardiovascular anomalies of CHD but also viscerobronchial-cardiovascular anomalies were clearly visualized without serious complications due to MRI. In comparing 300 major cardiac anomalies and 1477 segments of the vein, the atrium, the ventricle, and the great arteries visualized by MRI and angiography, discrepancies were found in 7 anomalies (2.3%), and 22 segments (1.5%), respectively. Finally, in 86% (26/30) of patients manifesting atrioventricular valve regurgitation (AVVR), which had been evaluated by echocardiography, the AVVR was also detected on MRI. Based on these findings, segmental analysis of cardiac MRI was found to be safe and useful for systematic diagnosis of viscero-bronchial-cardiovascular anomalies in pediatric patients with CHD.