What every radiologist should know about paediatric echocardiography

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Radiology
• Pediatric Imaging

Background:

• Congenital heart defects (CHD) affect a small percentage of newborns.
• Echocardiography is the primary imaging modality for assessing CHD morphology and function.
• Bedside echocardiography is reliable for diagnosing various CHD types in childhood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a systematic approach for echocardiographic assessment of CHD.
• To highlight typical echocardiographic findings in common CHD.
• To discuss the strengths and limitations of echocardiography in CHD follow-up, especially in adults.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of echocardiography in congenital heart defect assessment.
• Presentation of representative echocardiographic images.
• Discussion of limitations in older patients and comparison with other imaging modalities.

Main Results:

• Echocardiography is effective for childhood CHD diagnosis and follow-up.
• Limitations in adults with CHD include skeletal and pulmonary issues, impacting right ventricular assessment.
• Cardiac MRI and CT are valuable adjuncts when echocardiography is limited.

Conclusions:

• Echocardiography is crucial for pediatric CHD, but its utility decreases in grown-up congenital heart disease (GUCH).
• Radiologists must understand echocardiography's limitations and when to utilize advanced imaging like cMRI and cCT.
• A comprehensive imaging strategy is essential for lifelong CHD management.