Feasibility of perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance in paediatric patients.
OBJECTIVE
As coronary artery disease may also occur during childhood in some specific conditions, we sought to assess the feasibility and accuracy of perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in paediatric patients.


RESULTS
First-pass perfusion CMR studies were performed under pharmacological stress with adenosine and by using a hybrid echo-planar pulse sequence with slice-selective saturation recovery preparation. Fifty-six perfusion CMR examinations were performed in 47 patients. The median age was 12 years (1 month-18 years), and weight 42.8 kg (2.6-82 kg). General anaesthesia was required in 18 patients. Mean examination time was 67 +/- 19 min. Diagnostic image quality was obtained in 54/56 examinations. In 23 cases the acquisition parameters were adapted to patient's size. Perfusion CMR was abnormal in 16 examinations. The perfusion defects affected the territory of the left anterior descending coronary artery in 11, of the right coronary artery in 3, and of the circumflex coronary artery in 2 cases. Compared to coronary angiography, perfusion CMR showed a sensitivity of 87% (CI 52-97%) and a specificity of 95% (CI 79-99%).


CONCLUSIONS
In children, perfusion CMR is feasible and accurate. In very young children (less than 1 year old), diagnostic image quality may be limited.
Buechel
Emanuela R Valsangiacomo
ER
University Children's Hospital Zurich, Division of Paediatric Cardiology, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland. emanuela.valsangiacomo@kispi.uzh.ch
Balmer
Christian
C
Bauersfeld
Urs
U
Kellenberger
Christian J
CJ
Schwitter
Juerg
J
D000241:Adenosine; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D049628:Body Size; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D055414:Myocardial Perfusion Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
D000241:Adenosine