title: Multidetector CT evaluation of total anomalous pulmonary venous connections: comparison with echocardiography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although echocardiography is the first-line imaging modality in the diagnosis of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC), multidetector CT (MDCT) could have advantages in the diagnosis of TAPVC in certain cases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare MDCT with echocardiography in the evaluation of TAPVC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Enrolled in the study were 23 patients with surgically proven TAPVC. The echocardiography and MDCT findings were independently interpreted by a paediatric cardiologist and cardiac radiologist in terms of: (1) the drainage site of the common pulmonary vein, (2) stenosis of the vertical vein, and (3) the course of the atypical vessel into the systemic vein in the case of vertical vein stenosis. The findings from both modalities were correlated with the results obtained at surgery (n=22) or autopsy (n=1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all patients, MDCT correctly depicted the drainage site of the common pulmonary vein, stenosis of the vertical vein and the course of the atypical vessel into the systemic vein (sensitivity 100%, specificity 100%). The specificity of echocardiography was 100% for the three defined findings. The sensitivity of echocardiography, however, was 87%, 71% and 0%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MDCT can facilitate the diagnosis of TAPVC in certain cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan 602-739, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ki Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Ki Seok
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Choo
authors.forename: Soo Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Hyoung Doo
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji Ae
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Min Jung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.forename: Si Chan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Yun Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Dong Wook
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Siho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010690:Phlebography / Q000379:methods*; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity