Purpose or Case Report: Characteristic chest radiographic findings of patients with congenital heart disease have been reported for some decades ago. For beginner, it may be hard to detect these findings and to understand reasons why these findings depict. Recently, radiologists can interpret specific findings of congenital heart disease because technique of CT have been developed.
Methods & Materials: This poster provide the overview of chest radiographic findings of congenital heart disease and explain these findings using images obtained by dual-source CT with ECG-triggered high-pitch spiral acquisition (Flash Spiral Cardio mode).
Results: 1) Boot-shaped heart (Coeur en Sabot): This finding is commonly seen in tetralogy of Fallot. Combination of elevated cardiac apex due to enlarged right ventricle and concave the pulmonary artery segment makes this overall configuration. 2) Egg-on-side: This appearance is seen in complete transposition of the great arteries (TGA). In complete TGA, because pulmonary trunk and outflow tract is right side and ascending aorta is located anterior and rightward of the pulmonary trunk, convexity of left pulmonary segment is flattened. 3) Snowman configuration: it suggests total anomalous pulmonary venous connection to the innominate vein. The vertical vein forms left sides of snowman’s head. The enlarged heart forms lower part. This sign is rarely seen in infancy with complete TGA. 4) Box-shaped heart: Though size of the left atrium is normal, left cardiac contour is shelved because the right atrium and right ventricle is extremely enlarged. The aorta is small and contour of the pulmonary trunk is obscured. The combination of these features produce the box-shaped heart configuration.
Conclusions: Radiologist should be familiar with characteristic signs of chext radiographs. Reviewing the CT images of patients with congenital heart disease helps us to understand these findings.