title: Dual-Source Computed Tomography Evaluation of Children with Congenital Pulmonary Valve Stenosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) technology has been performed well on adults or infants with heart disease, specific knowledge about children with congenital pulmonary valve stenosis (PS) remained to be established.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This original research aimed to establish a professional approach of DSCT performing technology on children and to assess the image quality performed by DSCT to establish a diagnostic evaluation for children with PS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-eight children with congenital PS referred to affiliated hospital of Jining medical college were recruited from October 2013 to March 2015. Participants were divided into four groups according to different ages (0 - 1, 1 - 3, 3 - 7, 7 - 14), or three groups according to different heart rates (< 90, 90 - 110, > 110). Image quality of pulmonary valves was assessed based on a four-point grading scale (1 - 4 points). Those cases achieving a score of ≥ 3 points were selected for further investigation, which played a critical role in our analysis. Correlation analysis was used to identify the effects of age and heart rate on image quality. Additionally, the results evaluated by DSCT were compared with those evaluated from the operation, further confirming the accuracy of DSCT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-two cases (73.4%) achieved a score of ≥ 3 points based on pulmonary valve imaging, which were available for further diagnosis. There was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) between the four groups except 0 - 1 group and 1 - 3 group, 3 - 7 group and 7 - 14 group, and the image quality of elder group was higher than younger group. Image score was gradually decreased with increased heart rate (F = 19.05, P < 0.01). Heart rate was negatively correlated with pulmonary valve scores (r = -0.391, P < 0.001), while there was no correlation between age and scores (r = 0.185, P = 0.070). The number, shape, commissure, and opening status of pulmonary valves evaluated by DSCT were the same as the results of operation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Heart rate serves a pivotal role in imaging quality of DSCT. DSCT provides a functional evaluation of children with congenital PS and consequently contributes to a theoretical basis for corresponding treatment protocols.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao City, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Disease Diagnosis and Treatment, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, China.
authors.forename: Zhanguo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao City, China.
authors.forename: Wenjian
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Disease Diagnosis and Treatment, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, China.
authors.forename: Shuran
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Disease Diagnosis and Treatment, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, China.
authors.forename: Yueqin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Disease Diagnosis and Treatment, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, China.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Disease Diagnosis and Treatment, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, China.
authors.forename: Zhitao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shi
keywords: Child; Congenital; Dual-source Computed Tomography; Heart Defects; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis