Faculty Collaboration Database

A review of the complementary information available with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and multi-slice computed tomography (CT) during the study of congenital heart disease. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 2004 Dec;20(6):569-78

Date

04/29/2005

Pubmed ID

15856644

DOI

10.1007/s10554-004-7021-3

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-14944343475 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   59 Citations

Abstract

The incidence of congenital heart disease is approximately 4-6 per 1000 new births; however, the number of people living with congenital heart disease (CHD) is increasing, because of improved diagnosis, medical, and surgical management. While echocardiography continues to be the mainstay of non-invasive imaging, cardiac MRI (cMRI) and computed tomography (CT) have taken on increasing roles in the diagnosis of congenital heart disease in infants, children, and importantly, adults who may have limited echocardiographic windows, especially if post-operative. Cardiac MRI and multi-slice CT can complement the diagnostic information obtained by echocardiography and invasive cardiac catheterization. Post-operative imaging of CHD is especially enhanced by the spin echo MRI techniques, while gradient cine echo MRI imaging allows functional information that is not encumbered by geometric assumptions. Phase contrast (velocity encoding) cardiac MRI data can provide information about flow, allowing accurate determination of regurgitation and shunt volume. Gadolinium enhanced cMRI or three-dimensional reconstructed images from multi-slice CT angiography allow excellent delineation of vascular structures in complex heart disease. Coronary imaging, while possible with both modalities, appears more facile with fast CT imaging. This article reviews the literature to provide an assessment of the special techniques and considerations needed during the conduct of cardiac MRI/MRA and multi-slice CT examinations during the diagnosis of congenital heart disease in pediatric and adult patients.

Author List

Samyn MM

Author

Margaret Mary Samyn MD Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Cardiac Catheterization
Child
Echocardiography
Heart Defects, Congenital
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Tomography, X-Ray Computed