Evaluation of obstructive airway lesions in complex congenital heart disease using composite volume-rendered images from multislice CT.
BACKGROUND
Multislice CT (MSCT) allows high-quality volume-rendered (VR) and composite volume-rendered images.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinical usefulness of composite VR images in the evaluation of the relationship between cardiovascular structures and the airway in children with complex congenital heart disease (CHD).


METHODS
Four- or 16-slice MSCT scanning was performed consecutively in 77 children (mean age 6.4 months) with CHD and respiratory symptoms, a chest radiographic abnormality, or abnormal course of the pulmonary artery on ECHO. MSCT scanning was performed during breathing or after sedation. Contrast medium (2 ml/kg) was administered through a pedal venous route or arm vein in all patients. The VR technique was used to reconstruct the cardiovascular structures and airway, and then both VR images were composed using the commercial software (VoxelPlus(2); Daejeon, Korea).


RESULTS
Stenoses were seen in the trachea in 1 patient and in the bronchi in 14 patients (19%). Other patients with complex CHD did not have significant airway stenoses.


CONCLUSIONS
Composite VR images with MSCT can provide more exact airway images in relationship to the surrounding cardiovascular structures and thus help in optimizing management strategies in treating CHD.
Choo
Ki Seok
KS
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, 10 1-Ga, Ami-Dong, Seo-Gu, 602-739 Busan, Korea.
Lee
Hyoung Doo
HD
Ban
Ji Eun
JE
Sung
Si Chan
SC
Chang
Yun Hee
YH
Kim
Chang Won
CW
Lee
Tae Hong
TH
Kim
Suk
S
Kim
Kun Il
KI
D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media