Pediatric great vessel anomalies: initial clinical experience with spiral CT angiography.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the use of spiral computed tomographic (CT) angiography for the diagnosis of pediatric great vessel anomalies.


METHODS
Techniques used in adult CT angiography were modified to allow imaging of 15 children aged 1 month to 12 years. Two-dimensional axial images and three-dimensional shaded surface display images of the airway and great vessels were generated from volumetric CT data and evaluated prospectively. Findings were correlated with results obtained at surgery (five patients), autopsy (one patient), bronchoscopy (one patient), or other imaging studies (eight patients).


RESULTS
In 14 patients, CT angiography accurately demonstrated vessel anomalies, including double or right aortic arch (seven cases), aberrant subclavian artery (six cases), innominate artery compression syndrome (one case), unilateral pulmonary artery agenesis (one case), and pulmonary artery enlargement (three cases). One patient had normal vasculature.


CONCLUSIONS
CT angiography is feasible in children and can be used to delineate abnormal great vessel anatomy.
Hopkins
K L
KL
Department of Radiology, Egleston Children's Hospital at Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Patrick
L E
LE
Simoneaux
S F
SF
Bank
E R
ER
Parks
W J
WJ
Smith
S S
SS
D000792:Angiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D001165:Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007472:Iohexol; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media; D007472:Iohexol