Congenital heart disease in adults and adolescents: comparative value of transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography and MR imaging.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the diagnostic value of transesophageal echocardiography and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with that of transthoracic echocardiography in the evaluation of congenital heart disease in adults and adolescents.


METHODS
Corresponding transesophageal echocardiographic and MR images obtained in 61 patients (aged 14-74 years; 28 female, 33 male) with congenital cardiac abnormalities were analyzed retrospectively. Results were compared with those of transthoracic echocardiography in all patients and were confirmed by using cardiac catheterization (n = 41) and/or surgery (n = 41).


RESULTS
of the 344 abnormalities detected with at least one imaging technique, 259 were demonstrated with transthoracic echocardiography. Transesophageal echocardiography depicted the atrioventricular junction and atrial structures the best. MR imaging was the only technique to fully depict 31 extracardiac abnormalities. In complex cardiac defects, the combination of all three imaging techniques was best.


CONCLUSIONS
Transesophageal echocardiography and MR imaging are beneficial complementary imaging techniques in adults or adolescents with congenital heart disease.
Hoppe
U C
UC
Klinik III für Innere Medizin, Universität Köln, Germany.
Dederichs
B
B
Deutsch
H J
HJ
Theissen
P
P
Schicha
H
H
Sechtem
U
U
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies