Case Report, Int J Cardiovasc Res Vol: 3 Issue: 4
Multidetector Computer Tomography in Congenital Heart Disease
Claudia Pujol Salvador1, Julia Lemmer1, Farid Pouralikhan1, Michael Pörner2, Vasiliki Trigas1, Siegrun Mebus1, Stefan Martinoff2 and Harald Kaemmerer1* | |
1Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Disease, Deutsches Herzzentrum München, Technische Universität München, München, Germany | |
2Institute of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Deutsches Herzzentrum München, Technische Universität München, München, Germany | |
Corresponding author : Prof. Dr. Harald Kaemmerer Deutsches Herzzentrum München, Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Disease, Deutsches Herzzentrum München, Technische Universität München, München, Germany Phone: +49-89-1218-3011; Fax: +49-89-1218-3013 E-mail: Kaemmerer@dhm.mhn.de |
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Received: June 05, 2014 Accepted: July 09, 2014 Published: August 04, 2014 | |
Citation: Salvador CP, Lemmer J, Pouralikhan F, Pörner M, Trigas V, et al. (2014) Multidetector Computer Tomography in Congenital Heart Disease. Int J Cardiovasc Res 3:4. doi:10.4172/2324-8602.1000175 |
Abstract
Multidetector Computer Tomography in Congenital Heart Disease
Objectives: Extracardiac pathology is common in patients with congenital heart disease. Multidetector computer tomography can be a useful tool for detection. To date, there are only scarce reports regarding “incidental“ non-cardiac findings during cardiac computer tomography. Aims of this study were to analyze indications, implementation, and timing of multidetector computer tomography in patients with congenital heart disease. Materials and methods: During 32 months, 195 patients were retrospectively included in our analysis. Type of congenital heart disease, timing of the procedure (preoperative, postoperative, follow-up, native), explored areas (thorax, cranium, abdomen, sternum, neck and extremities), and indications were disclosed. Results: During the study period, 250 scans were performed in 195 patients. Mean age was 23.0 ± 17.1 years (minimum 3 days, maximum 73 years); 48.2% were younger than 20 years. Almost 71% had undergone reparative cardiovascular surgery. Complex congenital heart disease (26.5%) and left-ventricular heart obstructions (22.5%) were the most common defects referred to computer tomography. In 19.5% of patients more than one scan was necessary. The tests were most performed in the postoperative/ postinterventional (36%) and long-term follow-up (30.4%) periods. Most indications focused on the thorax (55.5%), particularly when cardiovascular complications were suspected. Assessment of cerebral pathology was the second most frequent indication (25%). Final diagnosis was achieved in 94% of cases. Conclusions: Extracardiac pathology is frequent in patients with congenital heart disease, mainly in younger patients and with complex cardiac pathology. Multidetector computer tomography is a very useful tool when cardiovascular complications or cerebral pathology is suspected. Therefore, a good cooperation between radiologists and congenital cardiologists is mandatory.