Congenital thoracic vascular anomalies: evaluation with state-of-the-art MR imaging and MDCT

Congenital thoracic vascular anomalies include embryologic developmental disorders of the thoracic aorta, aortic arch branch arteries, pulmonary arteries, thoracic systemic veins, and pulmonary veins. Diagnostic evaluation of these anomalies in pediatric patients has evolved with innovations in diagnostic imaging technology. State-of-the-art magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, MR angiography multidetector-row computed tomographic (MDCT) angiography, and advanced postprocessing visualization techniques offer accurate and reliable high-resolution two-dimensional and three-dimensional noninvasive anatomic displays for interpretation and clinical management of congenital thoracic vascular anomalies. This article reviews vascular MR imaging, MR angiography, MDCT angiography, and advanced visualization techniques and applications for the assessment of congenital thoracic vascular anomalies, emphasizing clinical embryology and the characteristic imaging findings.