CT angiography versus clinical, echocardiographic, and invasive gradients in coarctation and recoarctation of the aorta

Background: Aortic coarctation is a congenital heart disease characterized by narrowing of the distal aortic arch or isthmus. Its management relies on arterial hypertension, stenosis severity, and peak-to-peak gradients. Despite various assessment methods, there is limited discussion on measuring st...

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Main Authors: André Vaz, Ludmila M. Young, Renata Muller Couto, Kevin R. M. de Paula, Eduardo K. U. N. Fonseca
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2025-01-01
Series:Annals of Pediatric Cardiology
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Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/apc.apc_221_24
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author André Vaz
Ludmila M. Young
Renata Muller Couto
Kevin R. M. de Paula
Eduardo K. U. N. Fonseca
author_facet André Vaz
Ludmila M. Young
Renata Muller Couto
Kevin R. M. de Paula
Eduardo K. U. N. Fonseca
author_sort André Vaz
collection DOAJ
description Background: Aortic coarctation is a congenital heart disease characterized by narrowing of the distal aortic arch or isthmus. Its management relies on arterial hypertension, stenosis severity, and peak-to-peak gradients. Despite various assessment methods, there is limited discussion on measuring stenosis using computed tomography (CT) angiography and its correlation with clinical, echocardiographic, and invasive gradients, as well as surgical or endovascular indications. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 129 patients with aortic coarctation or recoarctation who underwent clinical, echocardiographic, catheterization, and CT angiography. Patients with mid-arch hypoplasia and patent ductus arteriosus were excluded from the study. CT angiography was used, and detailed measurements of the aortic isthmus and diaphragmatic aorta were performed, including isthmus-to-diaphragm ratios, body surface area-indexed measurements, and z-scores. Results: Multiple parameters presented moderate-to-high correlation with echocardiographic and invasive gradients. The best discriminator for significant invasive gradient (>20 mmHg) was the hydraulic diameter Pediatric Heart Network z-score (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.869), and the best predictor for intervention was the minimum diameter Detroit z-score (P < 0.001). The isthmus-to-diaphragm area ratio presented good diagnostic accuracy (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.814), with an optimal cutoff of 0.73 for a significant invasive gradient. Interobserver reliability was high (>0.9) for all measurements. Conclusion: CT angiography-derived isthmus-to-diaphragmatic area ratio is a simple, accurate, and reliable assessment of aortic coarctation and recoarctation severity. These findings support its use in clinical decision-making and suggest potential for standardized protocols.
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spelling doaj-art-1cee8d63f02d4a02bebbcb7ebd0373912025-08-20T03:44:32ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsAnnals of Pediatric Cardiology0974-20690974-51492025-01-01181192510.4103/apc.apc_221_24CT angiography versus clinical, echocardiographic, and invasive gradients in coarctation and recoarctation of the aortaAndré VazLudmila M. YoungRenata Muller CoutoKevin R. M. de PaulaEduardo K. U. N. FonsecaBackground: Aortic coarctation is a congenital heart disease characterized by narrowing of the distal aortic arch or isthmus. Its management relies on arterial hypertension, stenosis severity, and peak-to-peak gradients. Despite various assessment methods, there is limited discussion on measuring stenosis using computed tomography (CT) angiography and its correlation with clinical, echocardiographic, and invasive gradients, as well as surgical or endovascular indications. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 129 patients with aortic coarctation or recoarctation who underwent clinical, echocardiographic, catheterization, and CT angiography. Patients with mid-arch hypoplasia and patent ductus arteriosus were excluded from the study. CT angiography was used, and detailed measurements of the aortic isthmus and diaphragmatic aorta were performed, including isthmus-to-diaphragm ratios, body surface area-indexed measurements, and z-scores. Results: Multiple parameters presented moderate-to-high correlation with echocardiographic and invasive gradients. The best discriminator for significant invasive gradient (>20 mmHg) was the hydraulic diameter Pediatric Heart Network z-score (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.869), and the best predictor for intervention was the minimum diameter Detroit z-score (P < 0.001). The isthmus-to-diaphragm area ratio presented good diagnostic accuracy (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.814), with an optimal cutoff of 0.73 for a significant invasive gradient. Interobserver reliability was high (>0.9) for all measurements. Conclusion: CT angiography-derived isthmus-to-diaphragmatic area ratio is a simple, accurate, and reliable assessment of aortic coarctation and recoarctation severity. These findings support its use in clinical decision-making and suggest potential for standardized protocols.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/apc.apc_221_24aortic coarctationcardiovascular surgerycatheterizationcomputed tomography angiographyechocardiographyendovascular procedure
spellingShingle André Vaz
Ludmila M. Young
Renata Muller Couto
Kevin R. M. de Paula
Eduardo K. U. N. Fonseca
CT angiography versus clinical, echocardiographic, and invasive gradients in coarctation and recoarctation of the aorta
Annals of Pediatric Cardiology
aortic coarctation
cardiovascular surgery
catheterization
computed tomography angiography
echocardiography
endovascular procedure
title CT angiography versus clinical, echocardiographic, and invasive gradients in coarctation and recoarctation of the aorta
title_full CT angiography versus clinical, echocardiographic, and invasive gradients in coarctation and recoarctation of the aorta
title_fullStr CT angiography versus clinical, echocardiographic, and invasive gradients in coarctation and recoarctation of the aorta
title_full_unstemmed CT angiography versus clinical, echocardiographic, and invasive gradients in coarctation and recoarctation of the aorta
title_short CT angiography versus clinical, echocardiographic, and invasive gradients in coarctation and recoarctation of the aorta
title_sort ct angiography versus clinical echocardiographic and invasive gradients in coarctation and recoarctation of the aorta
topic aortic coarctation
cardiovascular surgery
catheterization
computed tomography angiography
echocardiography
endovascular procedure
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/apc.apc_221_24
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