Radiology, Vol 199, 669-677, Copyright © 1996 by Radiological Society of North America

ARTICLES

Congenital heart disease in adults and adolescents: comparative value of transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography and MR imaging

UC Hoppe, B Dederichs, HJ Deutsch, P Theissen, H Schicha and U Sechtem
Klinik III fur Innere Medizin, Universitat Koln, Germany.

PURPOSE: To compare the diagnostic value of transesophageal echocardiography and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with that of transthoracic echocardiography in the evaluation of congenital heart disease in adults and adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Corresponding transesophageal echocardiographic and MR images obtained in 61 patients (aged 14-74 years; 28 female, 33 male) with congenital cardiac abnormalities were analyzed retrospectively. Results were compared with those of transthoracic echocardiography in all patients and were confirmed by using cardiac catheterization (n = 41) and/or surgery (n = 41). RESULTS: of the 344 abnormalities detected with at least one imaging technique, 259 were demonstrated with transthoracic echocardiography. Transesophageal echocardiography depicted the atrioventricular junction and atrial structures the best. MR imaging was the only technique to fully depict 31 extracardiac abnormalities. In complex cardiac defects, the combination of all three imaging techniques was best. CONCLUSION: Transesophageal echocardiography and MR imaging are beneficial complementary imaging techniques in adults or adolescents with congenital heart disease.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. J. Pennell, U. P. Sechtem, C. B. Higgins, W. J. Manning, G. M. Pohost, F. E. Rademakers, A. C. van Rossum, L. J. Shaw, and E. K. Yucel Clinical indications for cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR): Consensus Panel report Eur. Heart J., November 1, 2004; 25(21): 1940 - 1965. [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. A. Lalani, J. P. Kanne, G. A. Hatfield, and P. Chen Imaging Findings in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus RadioGraphics, July 1, 2004; 24(4): 1069 - 1086. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. D. Cheitlin, W. F. Armstrong, G. P. Aurigemma, G. A. Beller, F. Z. Bierman, J. L. Davis, P. S. Douglas, D. P. Faxon, L. D. Gillam, T. R. Kimball, et al. ACC/AHA/ASE 2003 guideline update for the clinical application of echocardiography: summary article: a report of the American college of cardiology/American heart association task force on practice guidelines (ACC/AHA/ASE committee to update the 1997 guidelines for the clinical application of echocardiography) J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., September 3, 2003; 42(5): 954 - 970. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. D. Cheitlin, W. F. Armstrong, G. P. Aurigemma, G. A. Beller, F. Z. Bierman, J. L. Davis, P. S. Douglas, D. P. Faxon, L. D. Gillam, T. R. Kimball, et al. ACC/AHA/ASE 2003 Guideline Update for the Clinical Application of Echocardiography: Summary Article: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (ACC/AHA/ASE Committee to Update the 1997 Guidelines for the Clinical Application of Echocardiography) Circulation, September 2, 2003; 108(9): 1146 - 1162. [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. P. Reddy and G. R. Caputo Case 15: Congenitally Corrected Transposition of the Great Arteries Radiology, October 1, 1999; 213(1): 102 - 106. [Full Text]

				O. STUMPER Imaging the heart in adult congenital heart disease Heart, December 1, 1998; 80(6): 535 - 536. [Full Text]