[Evaluation of airway obstruction compressed by thoracic great vessels or their branches using multi-slice helical computed tomography].
Airway obstruction due to compression by the thoracic great vessels or their branches sometimes appears in patients with congenital heart disease. However, to make a definitive diagnosis may not be easy, because respiratory symptoms are common and stem from a variety of causes in this cohort. Thus, some invasive evaluation, including angiography, bronchial fiberscopy, and bronchography has usually been required. We employed multi-slice helical computed tomography (MSCT) and 3-dimensional (3D) image reconstruction in 7 cases (median age, 107 days ; range, 21 days to 6 years) who were suspected of complicating external vascular compression as a cause of respiratory symptoms. The CT scan clearly showed detailed anatomy of the thoracic vessels and interrelationship with the airway systems. It also disclosed a culprit artery compressing the trachea or bronchus. Different from other invasive or noninvasive examination modalities, MSCT allows precise evaluation of 2 independent organ systems, such as vascular and respiratory systems. We conclude that MSCT with 3D image reconstruction represents a reliable less-invasive technique for assessment of symptomatic airway obstruction caused by vascular compression.
Murayama
H
H
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Toyohashi Municipal Hospital, Toyohashi, Japan.
Watanabe
T
T
Yasuda
K
K
Kobayashi
Y
Y
Matsumura
Y
Y
Ohara
K
K
Kobayashi
A
A
D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000002:abnormalities*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed