A case of computed tomography diagnosis of truncus arteriosus type IV

Abid M Sadiq1,2, Adnan M Sadiq3,4

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Moshi, Tanzania.

Oxford Medical Case Reports
|February 22, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Persistent truncus arteriosus type IV is a rare congenital heart defect. Computed tomography (CT) imaging is crucial for diagnosing this condition when echocardiography is insufficient.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Persistent truncus arteriosus (PTA) is a rare congenital heart disease with four variants.
  • The rarest variant, PTA type IV, has a poor prognosis without surgical intervention.
  • Standard echocardiography may be insufficient for diagnosing complex PTA variants.

Observation:

  • A 26-year-old female presented with lifelong dyspnea and cyanosis.
  • Echocardiography revealed a ventricular septal defect (VSD).

Findings:

  • Computed tomography (CT) imaging demonstrated a single arterial trunk overriding the interventricular septum with a VSD.
  • The CT findings were consistent with truncus arteriosus type IV, a form of pseudo truncus.

Implications:

  • This case highlights the necessity of advanced imaging like CT in diagnosing complex congenital heart diseases.
  • Accurate diagnosis of truncus arteriosus type IV is critical for appropriate management and surgical planning.

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