Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Radio-diagnosis

Cardiac imaging is central to today's pediatric cardiology practice not only to diagnose structural congenital defects and delineate cardiac and extracardiac anatomy but also for determining the hemodynamic impact of the structural defects. CT angiography is gaining broader acceptance in the evaluation of children with known or suspected congenital heart disease. This study not only includes cardiac, but also non-cardiovascular structures such as the mediastinum, lung parenchyma and upper abdominal organs. It is important to inspect all these structures for potential abnormalities that might be clinically important and, in some cases, may impact care plans. MSCT can provide accurate 3D evaluation of the cardiac and related arterial anatomy for the clinical management of congenital cardiac anomalies. 3D imaging has to be able to demonstrate the shapes of, and spatial relationships between, the great arteries, proximal branch pulmonary arteries and any other associated complex congenital anomalies. Three-dimensional information about extra-cardiac morphological characteristics may determine subsequent surgical intervention

Issued also as CD