Two-dimensional sector scanner echocardiography in cyanotic congenital heart disease.

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A wide angle (60.degree.) mechanical sector scanner producing a real-time 2-dimensional echocardiogram was used to assess the anatomy of the great arteries in 30 infants and children with cyanotic congenital heart disease. Longitudinal scans show the relations of the mitral valve and ventricular septum to the posterior great artery, and transverse scans show the spatial relations of the great arteries. In 19 patients the echocardiographic examination was preceded by angiocardiographic diagnosis. Echocardiographic examination in 10 with complete transposition of the great arteries showed parallel great arteries; in 4 with Fallot''s tetralogy, normally related great arteries with a narrow right ventricular outflow and an overriding aorta; in 4 with double outlet right ventricle, parallel great arteries, but in only 2 of these an unambiguous right ventricular origin of both great arteries; in 1 with persistent trancus arteriosus, a single artery with abnormal cusp echoes. In 9 infants and 2 children, aged 9 and 16 yr, echocardiographic examination was followed by angiocardiography. In the 9 infants the assessment of great artery size and relation by echocardiography closely correlated with that determined by angiocardiography. In the older child whose previous cardiac catheterization without angiocardiography suggested transposition of the great arteries, echocardiography showed normally related great arteries which were subsequently confirmed by angiocardiography. In the younger child with corrected transposition of the great arteries the echocardiographic appearance was initially misinterpreted as normally related great arteries. Two-dimensional echocardiography, because of its capacity to display the anatomy of the ventricular cutflow tracts, permits better planning of the subsequent cardiac catheterization and angiocardiography in children with cyanotic congenital heart disease.