Wenlei Qian^1,#, Xinzhu Zhou^2,#, Ke Shi¹, Li Jiang¹, Xi Liu³, Liting Shen¹, Zhigang Yang^1,*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.18, No.1, pp. 113-125, 2023, DOI:10.32604/chd.2023.023542

Abstract Background: Pulmonary atresia (PA) is a group of heterogeneous complex congenital heart disease. Only one study modality might not get a correct diagnosis. This study aims to investigate the diagnostic power of dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) for all intracardiac and extracardiac deformities in patients with PA compared with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 79 patients and divided them into three groups according to their main diagnosis. All associated malformations and clinical information, including treatments, were recorded and compared among the three groups. The diagnostic power of DSCT and TTE on all associated malformations were compared.… More > Graphic Abstract

Shae Anderson^1,2, Courtney E. McCracken², Ritu Sachdeva^1,2

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.6, pp. 1050-1057, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12679

Abstract Objective: The educational intervention (EI) through the Pediatric Appropriate Use of Echocardiography (PAUSE) multicenter study resulted in improved appropriate‐ ness of transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) orders at our center. The current study evaluated if this pattern persisted after cessation of EI and the potential physician characteristics influencing appropriateness.
Design: Outpatients (≤18 years old) seen for initial evaluation during the EI (July to October, 2015) and 6‐month post‐EI (May to August, 2016) phases were included. Comparison was made between TTE rates and appropriateness ratings during EI and post‐EI phase. Association between TTE rate and appropriateness with physician characteristics (age, experience, patient volume,… More >

Raymond P. Lorenzoni III¹, Jaeun Choi², Nadine F. Choueiter³, Iona M. Munjal¹, Chhavi Katyal⁴, Kenan W. D. Stern³

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.3, pp. 470-475, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12598

Abstract Objective: Kawasaki disease is the primary cause of acquired pediatric heart disease in developed nations. Timely diagnosis of Kawasaki disease incorporates transthoracic echocardiography for visualization of the coronary arteries. Sedation improves this visualization, but not without risks and resource utilization. To identify potential sedation criteria for suspected Kawasaki disease, we analyzed factors associated with diagnostically inadequate initial transthoracic echocardiography performed without sedation.
Design: This retrospective review of patients < 18 years old undergoing initial transthoracic echocardiography for the inpatient evaluation of suspected Kawasaki disease from 2009 to 2015 occurred at a medium-sized urban children’s hospital. The primary outcome was diagnostically… More >

Amanda L. Phillips¹, Muhammad Yasir Qureshi^1,2, Benjamin W. Eidem^1,2,3, Frank Cetta^1,2,3

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.2, pp. 251-253, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12560

Abstract Background: Lambl’s excrescences (LE) are fibrous extensions that can be found along the lines of closure of the aortic valve. Due to improvements in ultrasound technology, LE are frequently imaged during transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in adults.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of LE among children from two eras (2004–2006 and 2011–2012) and the effect of technological advancements on LE detection.
Methods: TTE from 700 subjects (age 18 years old or younger) were reviewed. All parasternal long and short axis images of the aortic valve were reviewed by a board certified echocardiographer, and the positive… More >