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Health Dictionary

Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

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Atrial septal defect CT

Introduction

Overview

Overview

Computed tomography can be helpful as a diagnostic tool in conditions where the echocardiographic findings are inconclusive. It is not the technique of choice as it has limitations in defining shunt volume and pressure differences.

CT

CT

Advantages

  • Provides additional anatomic details compared to echocardiography.
  • Helps in visualization of the aberrant pulmonary venous return (seen in sinus venosus defect). [1]
  • Done faster compared to MRI.
  • Avoids the need for general anesthesia in children.
  • Can identify associated heart anomalies.[1]

Disadvantages

  • Costly
  • Radiation can have long terms side-effect on growing children.
  • Not a modality for detecting or quantify a defect.[1]
  • Not a modality for quantifying shunt volume and pressure differences.[1]
References

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Prokop, M., Galanski, M., Van Der Molen, A.J., Schaefer-Prokop, C. (2001). Spiral and multislice computed tomography of the body. pp. 788–789. Unknown parameter |city= ignored (help)

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, M.B.B.S. [2]; Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [3]; Assistant Editor(s)-In-Chief: Kristin Feeney, B.S. [4]