Imaging
Atrial Septal Defect
- Preliminary Diagnosis: Atrial Septal Defect
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I. What imaging technique is first-line for this diagnosis
- II. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of this technique for diagnosis.
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III. What are the contraindications for the first-line imaging technique?
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IV. What alternative imaging techniques are available?
- V. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of the alternative techniques for diagnosis.
- VI. What are the contraindications for the alternative imaging techniques?
Preliminary Diagnosis: Atrial Septal Defect
I. What imaging technique is first-line for this diagnosis
2-D Echocardiography
II. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of this technique for diagnosis.
Advantages
Highly portable imaging modality.
Does not expose patients to ionizing radiation.
Highly sensitive and specific in detecting cardiac structural abnormalities and cardiac chamber pressures.
Disadvantages
Limited in evaluating the surrounding soft tissues.
III. What are the contraindications for the first-line imaging technique?
No specific contraindications to echocardiography exist
IV. What alternative imaging techniques are available?
Plain Radiography of the Chest (PA and Lateral)
Cardiac MR.
V. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of the alternative techniques for diagnosis.
Plain Radiography of the Chest (PA and Lateral)
Advantages
Fast and portable imaging modality.
Exposes patients to minimal ionizing radiation.
Disadvantages
Less sensitive and specific in detailing the cardiomediastinal silhouette, pericardium, and cardiac chambers.
Unable to evaluate the pressure measurements within the cardiac chambers and valvular structures.
Cardiac MR
Advantages
Sensitive and specific in detecting the flow and directionality of blood throughout the cardiac chambers and surrounding great vessels
Gold standard in evaluating cardiac structure including valvular and chamber architecture.
Does not expose patients to ionizing radiation.
Disadvantages
Expensive
Time consuming
Must be cardiac gated to eliminate cardiac motion artifact.
VI. What are the contraindications for the alternative imaging techniques?
Plain Radiography of the Chest (PA and Lateral)
No specific contraindications to plain radiography exist. Some insitutions may require signed consent for pregnant women
Cardiac MR
Contraindicated in patients with non MR compatible hardware.
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