The role of computed tomography in quantitative assessment of tracheal morphology before and after pulmonary artery sling surgery

Objective: To investigate the clinical utility of computed tomography (CT) in the quantitative evaluation of pediatric tracheal morphology in the context of pulmonary artery sling surgery. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 17 pediatric cases diagnosed with pulmonary artery sling at Fujian Children's Hospital between April 2021 and May 2025. CT imaging data were reconstructed and quantitatively analyzed to objectively evaluate tracheal morphological changes pre- and post-operatively. Results: < 0.001). Conclusions: CT imaging serves as a comprehensive diagnostic tool, enabling the identification of pulmonary artery slings as well as the detection of associated cardiovascular anomalies and tracheal abnormalities, thereby facilitating preoperative surgical planning. Furthermore, quantitative CT analysis of tracheal morphology both pre- and post-surgery provides a more precise and objective evaluation of tracheal changes.