The role of combining clinical skills and chest X-ray in detecting pediatric congenital heart diseases

Abstract

Background: Congenital heart disease is one of the most common congenital defects and the leading cause of death in the first year of life. Echocardiography plays an essential role in diagnosing; however, not all physicians can access this technique. Therefore, a chest X-ray is necessary for evaluating heart disease in infants. Objectives: To describe the role of clinical examniation and chest X-ray in detecting common congenital heart problems in children. Subjects and methods: 71 patients were diagnosed with congenital heart disease by clinical examination and confirmed by Doppler echocardiography at the Pediatric Center, Hue Central Hospital, from April 2020 to March 2021. Set up a cross-sectional study. Results: On a chest X-ray, the detection rate of left and right atrial enlargement was 4.2% and 21.1%, respectively. On chest X-rays and clinical examinations, the probability of detecting cardiac, left, and right ventricular enlargement were, respectively, 54.9% and 12.7%; 29.6% and 49.3%; and 16.9% and 19.7%. Conclusion: A chest X-ray has a low detection probability for atrial enlargement. The ability to detect cardiac enlargement on chest X-ray is better than on clinical examination, whereas with left and right ventricular enlargement, the ability to detect on clinical examination is better. The possibility of detecting symptoms is increased when clinical and chest X-rays are combined. Key words: chest X-rays, congenital heart diseases.