Thoracic computed tomography in absent pulmonary valve syndrome management

Computed tomography in tetralogy of Fallot: pre- and postoperative imaging evaluation

Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the most common cause of cyanotic congenital heart disease (CHD) and the most frequent complex CHD encountered in adulthood. Although children with TOF share four characteristic features (subaortic ventricular septal defect, overriding aorta, right ventricular hypertrophy, pulmonary stenosis), the clinical spectrum and course are in fact greatly heterogeneous. Echocardiography remains the mainstay for diagnosis, presurgical planning and postoperative follow-up. However, with continued technological advances, CT now plays an increasing role in TOF evaluation and management, helping to minimize routine invasive catheter angiography. Preoperatively, CT is uniquely suited to assess associated pulmonary arterial, aortic and coronary anomalies as well as extra-cardiovascular structures and is particularly helpful for delineating complex anatomy in the TOF subtypes of absent pulmonary valve and pulmonary atresia with major aortopulmonary collaterals. Postoperatively, CT is useful for identifying surgical complications and for long-term monitoring including volumetry quantification, especially in children for whom MRI is contraindicated or limited by implanted devices such as pacemakers and stents. In this article, we review key clinical features and considerations in the pre- and postoperative TOF patient and the burgeoning role of CT for facilitating accurate diagnosis and personalized intervention.

Diagnostic imaging for absent pulmonary valve syndrome: an update with an emphasis on cardiothoracic computed tomography

Absent pulmonary valve syndrome is a rare congenital heart disease characterized by partial or complete absence of pulmonary valve cusps which commonly presents with respiratory difficulty during infancy. Because central airway compression by dilated central pulmonary arteries is a key pathology of this syndrome responsible for clinical presentation, severity, and outcome, cardiothoracic computed tomography (CT) is currently regarded as the imaging modality of choice before and after treatment. In addition, tracheobronchomalacia frequently responsible for persistent respiratory problems can be accurately evaluated with conventional two-dimensional cine CT or four-dimensional CT. In this pictorial review, various diagnostic imaging methods used to evaluate absent pulmonary valve syndrome are comprehensively illustrated with an emphasis on a recently spotlighted role of cardiothoracic CT.

Perinatal Thoracic Mass Lesions: Pre- and Postnatal Imaging

Chest masses present a common problem in the perinatal period. Advances in prenatal ultrasound, supplemented by fetal magnetic resonance imaging, now allow early detection and detailed characterization of many thoracic lesions in utero. As such, in asymptomatic infants, assessment with postnatal computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging can often be delayed for several months until the time at which surgery is being contemplated. Bronchopulmonary malformations comprise most of the thoracic masses encountered in clinical practice. However, a variety of other pathologies can mimic their appearances or produce similar effects such as hypoplasia of a lung or both lungs. Understanding of the key differentiating clinical and imaging features can assist in optimizing prognostication and timely management.