3D MDCT angiography for the preoperative assessment of truncus arteriosus

Truncus arteriosus is an uncommon conotruncal anomaly, which is amenable to surgical correction. The systemic, pulmonary, and coronary circulations originate from a single arterial vessel that arises from the ventricular part of the heart and overrides the ventricular septum. The value of multidetector computed tomography with three-dimensional postprocessing lies in the detailed assessment of the presence or absence of the pulmonary arteries, including the number, origin, and branching patterns of major aortopulmonary collateral arteries, and extracardiac abnormalities such as aortic arch interruption. This article reviews the various imaging spectra of truncus arteriosus, which are especially important in the surgical planning.