Role of 320-MDCT in assessment of cardiac great arteries anomalies

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the role of 320 MDCT angiography in the evaluation of extra cardiac, vascular anomalies of great arteries and compare its results with transthoracic echocardiography and its impact on treatment planning. Materials and methods: This study included 39 patients, their age ranged from 16 days to 13 years. All of these patients underwent echocardiography and CTA examination using 320-MDCT. The images were analyzed using reconstruction techniques including MPR, cMPR, MinIP and VR techniques, the results were compared with surgical/catheter angiographic data. Results: MDCT was superior to echocardiography in diagnosis of great arteries anomalies (aortic and pulmonary). We found excellent agreement between 320-MDCT and surgery/catheter angiography with k = 1.000 sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, accuracy for aortic anomalies were 100%, 100%, 100%, 100%, 100% and 82.05%, 100%, 100%, 56.25% and 85.42% for MDCT and echocardiography respectively, and that of pulmonary anomalies were 100%, 100%, 100%, 100%, 100% and 84.62%, 100%, 100%, 92.86% and 94.87% for MDCT and echocardiography respectively. Conclusion: The main advantage added by 320-MDCT to transthoracic echocardiograpy was excellent delineation of the great arteries anomalies with suitable operative/catheteric decision without the need for the invasive diagnostic catheter angiography to the patients. Keywords: 320 MDCT, Cardiac CTA, Great arteries anomalies