[Can atrial septal defects be reliably diagnosed by echocardiography?]

The diagnostic reliability of echocardiography (ECHO) was analyzed in a group of 179 children operated on account of an atrial septal defect (ASD) and partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (PAPVD). A total of 223 individual types of ASD and PAPVD and their mutual combinations were proved on operation. In all patients indirect signs of a left-to-right shunt at the atrial level was proved. The sensitivity and specificity of ECHO examinations in the ASD type fossa ovalis was 0.97 and 0.80 resp., in ASD type sinus venosus it was 0.47 and 0.98, in PAPVD 0.38 and 0.99. In both types of ASD type sinus coronarius assessed on operation the ECHO diagnosis was correct. The application of colour Doppler technique increased the reliability of the ECHO examination. The accuracy of ECHO in ASD and PAPVD depends indirectly on age, body weight and body surface. No relationship was proved between reliability of ECHO diagnosis of the defect and the magnitude of the left-to-right shunt assessed by radiocirculography and the size of the defect assessed during operation. In no instance the diagnostic inaccuracy affected the surgical approach and the result of the operation. Despite certain diagnostic pitfalls, it is therefore possible to operate, using the comprehensive non-invasive examination procedure, children with these anomalies in our department without previous cardiac catheterization and angiography.