Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Molecular and Cellular Pediatrics 1/2022

Open Access 01-12-2022 | Computed Tomography | Review

Non-invasive pediatric cardiac imaging—current status and further perspectives

Authors: Meinrad Beer, Björn Schönnagel, Jochen Herrmann, Steffen Klömpken, Matthias Schaal, Michael Kaestner, Christian Apitz, Horst Brunner

Published in: Molecular and Cellular Pediatrics | Issue 1/2022

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Non-invasive cardiac imaging has a growing role in diagnosis, differential diagnosis, therapy planning, and follow-up in children and adolescents with congenital and acquired cardiac diseases. This review is based on a systematic analysis of international peer-reviewed articles and additionally presents own clinical experiences. It provides an overview of technical advances, emerging clinical applications, and the aspect of artificial intelligence.

Main body

The main imaging modalities are echocardiography, CT, and MRI. For echocardiography, strain imaging allows a novel non-invasive assessment of tissue integrity, 3D imaging rapid holistic overviews of anatomy. Fast cardiac CT imaging new techniques—especially for coronary assessment as the main clinical indication—have significantly improved spatial and temporal resolution in adjunct with a major reduction in ionizing dose. For cardiac MRI, assessment of tissue integrity even without contrast agent application by mapping sequences is a major technical breakthrough. Fetal cardiac MRI is an emerging technology, which allows structural and functional assessment of fetal hearts including even 4D flow analyses. Last but not least, artificial intelligence will play an important role for improvements of data acquisition and interpretation in the near future.

Conclusion

Non-invasive cardiac imaging plays an integral part in the workup of children with heart disease. In recent years, its main application congenital heart disease has been widened for acquired cardiac diseases.
Literature
9.
go back to reference Fogel MA, Anwar S, Broberg C, Browne L et al (2022) Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance/European Society of Cardiovascular Imaging/American Society of Echocardiography/Society for Pediatric Radiology/North American Society for Cardiovascular Imaging Guidelines for the use of cardiac magnetic resonance in pediatric congenital and acquired heart disease: endorsed by The American Heart Association. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging 15(6):e014415. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCIMAGING.122.014415CrossRef Fogel MA, Anwar S, Broberg C, Browne L et al (2022) Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance/European Society of Cardiovascular Imaging/American Society of Echocardiography/Society for Pediatric Radiology/North American Society for Cardiovascular Imaging Guidelines for the use of cardiac magnetic resonance in pediatric congenital and acquired heart disease: endorsed by The American Heart Association. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging 15(6):e014415. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1161/​CIRCIMAGING.​122.​014415CrossRef
24.
go back to reference Veeram Reddy SR, Arar Y, Zahr RA et al (2020) Invasive cardiovascular magnetic resonance (iMRI) for diagnostic right and left heart catheterization using an MR-conditional guidewire and passive visualization in congenital heart disease. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson 22(1):20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12968-020-0605-9CrossRef Veeram Reddy SR, Arar Y, Zahr RA et al (2020) Invasive cardiovascular magnetic resonance (iMRI) for diagnostic right and left heart catheterization using an MR-conditional guidewire and passive visualization in congenital heart disease. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson 22(1):20. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1186/​s12968-020-0605-9CrossRef
33.
go back to reference Jansz MS, Seed M, van Amerom JFP et al (2010) Metric optimized gating for fetal cardiac MRI. Magn Reson Med 64(5):1304–1314CrossRef Jansz MS, Seed M, van Amerom JFP et al (2010) Metric optimized gating for fetal cardiac MRI. Magn Reson Med 64(5):1304–1314CrossRef
34.
go back to reference Haris K, Hedström E, Bidhult S et al (2017) Self-gated fetal cardiac MRI with tiny golden angle iGRASP: a feasibility study. J Magn Reson Imaging 46(1):207–217CrossRef Haris K, Hedström E, Bidhult S et al (2017) Self-gated fetal cardiac MRI with tiny golden angle iGRASP: a feasibility study. J Magn Reson Imaging 46(1):207–217CrossRef
35.
go back to reference Kording F, Schoennagel BP, Tavares de Sousa M et al (2018) Evaluation of a portable Doppler ultrasound gating device for fetal cardiac MR imaging: initial results at 1.5T and 3T. Magn Reson Med Sci 17(4):308–317CrossRef Kording F, Schoennagel BP, Tavares de Sousa M et al (2018) Evaluation of a portable Doppler ultrasound gating device for fetal cardiac MR imaging: initial results at 1.5T and 3T. Magn Reson Med Sci 17(4):308–317CrossRef
36.
go back to reference Tavares de Sousa M, Hecher K, Yamamura J et al (2019) Dynamic fetal cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in four-chamber view using Doppler ultrasound gating in normal fetal heart and in congenital heart disease: comparison with fetal echocardiography. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 53(5):669–675CrossRef Tavares de Sousa M, Hecher K, Yamamura J et al (2019) Dynamic fetal cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in four-chamber view using Doppler ultrasound gating in normal fetal heart and in congenital heart disease: comparison with fetal echocardiography. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 53(5):669–675CrossRef
37.
go back to reference Tsai-Goodman B, Zhu MY, Al-Rujaib M et al (2015) Foetal blood flow measured using phase contrast cardiovascular magnetic resonance–preliminary data comparing 1.5 T with 3.0 T. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson 17:30CrossRef Tsai-Goodman B, Zhu MY, Al-Rujaib M et al (2015) Foetal blood flow measured using phase contrast cardiovascular magnetic resonance–preliminary data comparing 1.5 T with 3.0 T. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson 17:30CrossRef
38.
go back to reference Roy CW, van Amerom JFP, Marini D et al (2019) Fetal cardiac MRI: a review of technical advancements. Top Magn Reson Imaging 28(5):235–244CrossRef Roy CW, van Amerom JFP, Marini D et al (2019) Fetal cardiac MRI: a review of technical advancements. Top Magn Reson Imaging 28(5):235–244CrossRef
39.
go back to reference Haris K, Hedström E, Kording F et al (2020) Free-breathing fetal cardiac MRI with doppler ultrasound gating, compressed sensing, and motion compensation. J Magn Reson Imaging 51(1):260–272CrossRef Haris K, Hedström E, Kording F et al (2020) Free-breathing fetal cardiac MRI with doppler ultrasound gating, compressed sensing, and motion compensation. J Magn Reson Imaging 51(1):260–272CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Non-invasive pediatric cardiac imaging—current status and further perspectives
Authors
Meinrad Beer
Björn Schönnagel
Jochen Herrmann
Steffen Klömpken
Matthias Schaal
Michael Kaestner
Christian Apitz
Horst Brunner
Publication date
01-12-2022

Other articles of this Issue 1/2022

Molecular and Cellular Pediatrics 1/2022 Go to the issue