Phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosis of secundum atrial septal defects in pediatric patients / 中国医学影像技术

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the value of phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MR) in diagnosis of secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) in pediatric patients. Methods Totally 42 patients (aged from 9 months to 15 years) with secundum ASD proved with tansthoric echocardiographic (TTE) were evaluated with PC-MRI. Images of the flow through ASD were obtained with PC-MRI. The distances of ASD rim to superior vena cava (SVC), inferior vena cava (IVC), atrioventricular valves (AVV) and right upper pulmonary vein (RUPV), as well as the entrances of the vena cava and right upper pulmonary vein (RUPV) were assessed. Results The sizes of ASD and distances of ASD rim to the adjacent structures (SVC, RVC, AVV and RUPV) at PC-MRI were well consistent with those of TTE in 42 patients (P<0.001). PC-MRI results in 26 patients correlated well with surgical results (P<0.001). With different velocity encoding, compared with surgical results, measurements of ASD's sizes were more accurate when setting velocity from 50 to 70 cm/s than 90 cm/s. Conclusion The shape of ASD can be virtually depicted with PC-MRI. PC-MRI can accurately assess the defect size, number, rim distances to adjacent structures, therefore providing a new method for depiction of congenital heart anomaly.