[Clear visualization of the tracheobronchial tree in complex congenital heart disease using digital subtraction...

We knew that digital subtraction fluorography (DSF) could clearly visualize the tracheobronchial tree by the respiratory movement. We applied DSF for 54 patients of complex congenital heart disease. In the visualization of the tracheobronchial tree, DSF was significantly superior as compared with the plain chest radiography (p less than 0.01). As this method needs to anesthetize patients to suppress their body movements, there might be some limitation to apply it for routine diagnostic workup. However, noninvasiveness and readiness of diagnosis justifies this method as an optional examination for confirming thoracic situs of complex congenital heart disease.