Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic value of multi-slice CT (MSCT) reconstructions for congenital vascular rings together with tracheal stenosis.
Methods: 9 cases of children with congenital vascular ring and tracheal stenosis confirmed by surgery were collected in the study, all cases had undergone thin slice CT contrast enhancement, the MSCT data were transmitted to the workstation for multiplanar reconstruction (MPR), volume rendering technique (VRT) and VR transparency reconstruction. With the surgical results as the gold standard, the imaging characteristics of echocardiography (UCG) and MSCT were comparatively analyzed.
Results: In 9 cases, there were 4 cases of pulmonary artery sling, 3 cases of right aortic arch combination with left aberrant subclavian artery, 1 case of double aortic arch, 1 case of innominate artery compression syndrome. In this group, 5 cases were accompanied with other cardiac malformations (tetralogy of Fallot in 2 cases, double outlet right ventricle with patent ductus arteriosus and ventricular septal defect in 1 case, ventricular septal defect in 1 case, double superior vena cava in 1 case), 1 case of tetralogy of Fallot demonstrated many tortuous collateral arteries around aorta. All malformations were well displayed by VRT, MPR. VR transparency reconstruction can stereoscopically display trachea and bronchial compression condition, the main trachea was compressed in 6 cases, the main trachea and left main bronchus was compressed in 2 cases, the main trachea and left main bronchus was compressed in 1 cases, UCG detected all intracardiac malformations, 1 case of pulmonary artery sling was misdiagnosed as patent ductus arteriosus, 8 cases of vascular rings, tracheal and bronchial stenosis were missed.
Conclusion: MSCT reconstruction technology is a noninvasive, rapid diagnostic method, it can clearly show the congenital vascular rings abnormalities and the degree of tracheal stenosis, it has important significance for clinic treatment.