title: Pulmonary hypertension: role of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have a leading role in the diagnosis and evaluation of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Technical aspects, advantages, limitations and potential contraindications will be considered. MDCT has many advantages: 1) fast examination, 2) good identification of central and peripheral vessels, 3) good characterization of parenchymal findings, and 4) good evaluation of the heart and mediastinal structures. Limitations are: 1) the use of iodinated contrast material, and 2) radiation exposure. MRI allows: 1) cardiac morphological and functional studies, and 2) identification of central pulmonary arteries. Limitations are: 1) long scanning time, 2) poor definition of peripheral arteries, and 3) impossibility of pulmonary evaluation. MDCT and MRI findings allow: 1) quick diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension, 2) differential diagnosis between primary and secondary forms, 3) evaluation of cardiac manifestations, and 4) morphological and functional follow-up studies in surgically treated and untreated patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiology, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy. r.dore@smatteo.pv.it
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Guglielmo
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dore
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vespro
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed