Performing CT analysis prior to percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) may assist physicians in detecting those who are most at-risk for coronary artery compression during the operation.
In the study, published in the European Journal of Radiology, researchers retrospectively determined cardiac CTs effectiveness in 52 CHD patients with right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) issues. All had undergone CT prior to PPVI.
First author, Michela Tezza, of Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and colleagues found 30 of the 52 patients underwent PPVI after CT and 22 did not. A total of six high-risk patients had detected risk for CC and avoided PPVI, however an additional six intermediate CC risk patients received further testing and later received the procedure.
“CT seems to be able to detect patients at high and intermediate risk of coronary compression and therefore may identify which patients are unlikely to undergo successful PPVI and those who need a careful analysis with balloon testing,” Tezza and colleagues wrote. “CT can also rule out CC risk, identifying those patients in which balloon inflation testing could be omitted.”
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Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.