What is new in pediatric cardiac imaging?
Cardiac imaging has had significant influence on the science and practice of pediatric cardiology. Especially the development and improvements made in non-invasive imaging techniques, like echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have been extremely important. Technical advancements in the field of medical imaging are quickly being made. This review will focus on some of the important evolutions in pediatric cardiac imaging. Techniques such as intracardiac echocardiography, 3D echocardiography, and tissue Doppler imaging are relatively new echocardiographic techniques, which further optimize the anatomical and functional aspects of congenital heart disease. Also, the current standing of cardiac MRI and cardiac computerized tomography will be discussed. Finally, the recent European efforts to organize training and accreditation in pediatric echocardiography are highlighted.
Mertens
Luc
L
Pediatric Cardiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. luc.mertens@uzleuven.be
Ganame
Javier
J
Eyskens
Bénédicte
B
D002675:Child, Preschool; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D005060:Europe; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000639:trends*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed