Evaluation of Conotruncal Anomalies by Electron Beam Tomography

Choi, Byung Wook; Park, Young Hwan; Choi, Byung In; Choi, Jae Young; Kim, Min Jung; Yoo, Suk Jong; Lee, Jong Gyun; Sul, Jun Hee; Lee, Seung Gyu; Hong, Yoo Sun; Cho, Bum Koo; Choi, Gyu Ok

Abstract

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of EBT(Electron Beam Tomography) in the diagnosis of conotruncal anomaly and to determine whether it can be used as a substitute for cardiac angiography. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 20 patients(11M & 9F) with TOF(n=7, pulmonary atresia 2), DORV(n=7), complete TGV(n=4), & corrected TGV(n=2) were included. The age ranged from 7 days to 26 years(median 60 days). We analyzed the sequential chamber localization, the main surgical concenrn in each disease category (PA size, LVED volume and coronary artery pattern for TOF& pulmonary atresia, the LV mass, LVOT obstruction, coronary artery pattern for complete TGV, and type of VSD and TV-PV distance for DORV, etc) and other associated anomalies(e.g., VSD, arch anomalies, tracheal stenosis, etc). Those were compared with the
results
of echocardiography(n=19), angiography (n=9), and surgery(n=11). The interval between EBT and echocardiography/angiography was within 20/11 days, respectively except for an angiography in a patient with corrected TGV (48 days). RESULT: EBT correctly diagnosed the basic components of conotruncal anomalies in all subjects, compared to echocardiography, angiography or surgery. These included the presence, type and size of VSD(n=20), pulmonic/LV outflow tract stenosis(n=15/2), relation of great arteries and the pattern of the proximal epicardial coronary arteries(16 out of 20). EBT proved to be accurate in quantitation of the intrapericardial and hilar pulmonary arterial dimension and showed high correlation and no difference compared with echocardiography, angiography, or surgery(p>0.05) except for left pulmonary arterial & ascending arterial dimension by echocardiography. LVED volume in seven TOF(no difference: p>0.05 & high correlation: r=0.996 with echocardiography), and LV mass in 4 complete TGV were obtained. Additionally, EBT enabled the cdiagnosis of subjlottic tracheal stenosis and tracheal bronchus in 1 respectively. Some peripheral PA stenosis were not detected by echocardiography, while echocardiography appeared to be slightly more accurate than EBT in detecing ASD or PDA.
CONCLUSIONS
EBT can be a non-invasive and accurate modality of for the evaluation of most anatomical alteration including peripheral PS or interruption in patients with conotruncal anomalies. Combined with echocardiography, EBT study provides sufficient information for the palliative or total repair of anomalies.