Evaluation of Operated Dextro-Transposition of Great Arteries Patients in Follow-Up: Comparison of Transthoracic Echocardiography and Cardiac CT Angiography

<b>Background:</b> Arterial switch operation (ASO) is the standard surgical treatment for dextro-transposition of great arteries (d-TGA). Long-term complications affecting pulmonary arteries, coronary arteries, and aortic root necessitate detailed surveillance, but the optimal imaging strategy remains undefined. <b>Methods:</b> We retrospectively analyzed 47 patients with d-TGA who underwent ASO between January 2023 and June 2025 with at least six months postoperative follow-up. All patients underwent both transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and ECG-gated cardiac CT angiography (CTA). Anatomical measurements, functional parameters, and diagnostic completeness were compared between modalities. <b>Results:</b> Median age at follow-up was 37.2 months. CT detected pulmonary artery stenosis in 31 patients (65.9%) and aortic root dilatation in 31 patients (65.9%). TTE provided incomplete pulmonary artery assessment in 11 patients (23.4%) and incomplete coronary evaluation in 13 patients (27.6%), while CT successfully evaluated all patients (100%). Strong correlation was found between left pulmonary artery bending angle and aortic root dimensions (r = 0.65, <i>p</i> = 0.016), suggesting mechanical interdependence of post-surgical anatomical changes. Median radiation exposure was 2.684 mSv (IQR: 1.5-4.6). During follow-up, 10 patients (21.3%) required cardiovascular interventions, with CT providing complete pre-intervention assessment in all cases. <b>Conclusions:</b> TTE alone is insufficient for complete anatomical assessment following ASO. An integrated imaging approach utilizing TTE for functional assessment and CT for anatomical evaluation optimizes post-ASO surveillance.

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Journal
Diagnostics
Published
2025-09-23
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15192419
Primary Topic
Congenital Heart Disease Studies
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article
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article

Evaluation of Operated Dextro-Transposition of Great Arteries Patients in Follow-Up: Comparison of Transthoracic Echocardiography and Cardiac CT Angiography

İsa Özyılmaz, Hatice Dilek Özcanoğlu, Ali Nazım Güzelbağ, Behzat Tüzün et al.
Diagnostics
Congenital Heart Disease Studies
article

Evaluation of Operated Dextro-Transposition of Great Arteries Patients in Follow-Up: Comparison of Transthoracic Echocardiography and Cardiac CT Angiography

İsa Özyılmaz, Hatice Dilek Özcanoğlu, Ali Nazım Güzelbağ, Behzat Tüzün, Erkut Öztürk, Osman Nuri Bayrak, Ali Can Hatemi, Serap Baş, Demet Kangel
article en

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Arterial switch operation (ASO) is the standard surgical treatment for dextro-transposition of great arteries (d-TGA). Long-term complications affecting pulmonary arteries, coronary arteries, and aortic root necessitate detailed surveillance, but the optimal imaging strategy remains undefined. <b>Methods:</b> We retrospectively analyzed 47 patients with d-TGA who underwent ASO between January 2023 and June 2025 with at least six months postoperative follow-up. All patients underwent both transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and ECG-gated cardiac CT angiography (CTA). Anatomical measurements, functional parameters, and diagnostic completeness were compared between modalities. <b>Results:</b> Median age at follow-up was 37.2 months. CT detected pulmonary artery stenosis in 31 patients (65.9%) and aortic root dilatation in 31 patients (65.9%). TTE provided incomplete pulmonary artery assessment in 11 patients (23.4%) and incomplete coronary evaluation in 13 patients (27.6%), while CT successfully evaluated all patients (100%). Strong correlation was found between left pulmonary artery bending angle and aortic root dimensions (r = 0.65, <i>p</i> = 0.016), suggesting mechanical interdependence of post-surgical anatomical changes. Median radiation exposure was 2.684 mSv (IQR: 1.5-4.6). During follow-up, 10 patients (21.3%) required cardiovascular interventions, with CT providing complete pre-intervention assessment in all cases. <b>Conclusions:</b> TTE alone is insufficient for complete anatomical assessment following ASO. An integrated imaging approach utilizing TTE for functional assessment and CT for anatomical evaluation optimizes post-ASO surveillance.

DiagnosticsVol. 15(19)
Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi (TR), İstanbul Başakşehir Çam ve Sakura Şehir Hastanesi
Openalex Percentile: Top 65%
Congenital Heart Disease Studies
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