title: CT of congenital heart disease: normal anatomy and typical pathologic conditions.
abstract: Computed tomography (CT) plays an important supplementary role in the evaluation of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). Fast multisection spiral CT can be used to obtain isotropic volume data, and high-quality two- and three-dimensional multiplanar reformatted images can be created to accurately and systematically delineate the normal and pathologic morphologic features of the cardiovascular system. CT may be technically challenging and demanding in uncooperative young children. However, it can be used to systematically evaluate the aorta, pulmonary artery, pulmonary vein, cardiac chambers and ventriculoarterial connection, relationship between the upper lobe bronchi and pulmonary arteries, coronary artery, valves, systemic veins (superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, hepatic veins), and visceral situs with a step-by-step approach. This approach may be helpful in understanding the anatomy of the cardiovascular system in CHD patients. CT has both advantages and disadvantages in evaluating patients with CHD. Nevertheless, it is useful in this setting, and radiologists who perform CT in young children with CHD should be familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of CT and with the normal anatomy and typical pathologic conditions in affected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 388-1 Pungnap-2 dong, Songpa-gu, 138-736 Seoul, Korea. hwgoo@amc.seoul.kr
authors.forename: Hyun Woo
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Goo
authors.forename: In-Sook
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jae Kon
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Yong Hwue
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong-Man
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Tae-Jin
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Jeong-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Chong Hyun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yoon
mesh_terms: D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods; D001995:Bronchography / Q000379:methods; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D012016:Reference Values; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods*