Non-Invasive Imaging
CHC's full complement of imaging services supports our long-standing mission: to provide world-class care for our pediatric heart patients and their families. State of the art facilities equipped with the full spectrum of specialized imaging systems provide our physicians with valuable information that is key to the effective anaysis, diagnosis and treatment of a host of heart conditions. Following are brief descriptions of two imaging services and their specific roles in providing care for patients at the Children's Heart Clinic.
Cardiac MRI
Cardiac MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) studies are a non-invasive way to provide detailed information on a patient's heart and blood vessels and allows quantification of single ventricle function, calculation of regurgitant fraction, and excellent delineation of anatomy.
Most common referral diagnosis for cardiac MRI:
- Tetralogy of Fallot for quantification of regurgitant fraction
- Systemic right ventricle and single ventricle patients for calculation of ejection fraction
- Coarctation of the aorta for aortic arch anatomy
Advantages of Cardiac MRI include:
- No radiation
- Functional information in non-symetric ventricles
- Flow analysis and shunt quantification
Cardiac CTA
Cardiac CT (Computed Tomography) angiograms allow for excellent visualization of cardiac anatomy, particularly coronary artery anatomy. It is also useful for quantification of ventricular function in patients with pacemakers (contraindicated in MRI).
Most common diagnosis:
- Anomalous coronary artery
- S/P Kawasaki disease with coronary artery aneurysm
- Complex heart disease, pacemaker dependent
Advantages of Cardiac CT
- Better for airway/vascular definition
- Minimal artifact from stainless steel stents/coils
- Compatible with pacemakers/defibrillators
- Fast image acquisition
- Superior coronary artery definition
Studies are performed at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota and at Abbott Northwestern Hospital. Please call the clinic at 612-813-8800 for further information or to schedule an appointment to discuss this with your cardiologist.