Medical Sciences
Incremental Value of Cardiovascular CT in Neonates and Infants with Congenital Heart Disease: An Integrated Multimodality Imaging Approach
By Elettra Pomiato, Alice Pozza, Irene Cattapan and 7 others.
Abstract
Background
Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is the first-line imaging modality in neonates and infants with congenital heart disease (CHD), whereas cardiovascular computed tomography (CCT) is generally reserved for selected questions that remain unresolved after echocardiography. We evaluated the incremental diagnostic contribution of CCT within this multimodality imaging pathway.
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients aged <1 year with CHD who underwent CCT after multidisciplinary review because TTE was inconclusive or additional anatomic definition was required for surgical planning. The primary endpoint was the incremental anatomic information provided by CCT beyond TTE. Secondary analyses included diagnostic performance against operative findings, acquisition characteristics, radiation exposure, contrast administration, and procedural safety.