Angiocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging to assess pulmonary regurgitation in repaired tetralogy of Fallot.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to compare the results of angiocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in the assessment of pulmonary regurgitation following repair of tetralogy of Fallot.

METHODS

We prospectively studied 37 patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot. After routine examination cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and cardiac catheterization and angiography were performed. Pulmonary regurgitation (PR) was classified according to the following criteria, using a left lateral angiogram of the main pulmonary artery; insufficiency jet is limited to right ventricular outflow tract (mild); jet reaches the body of right ventricle (moderate); jet fills the apex of the right ventricle (severe).

RESULTS

Pulmonary regurgitation determined by angiocardiography and CMR was severe in 51.4% and 32.4%, moderate in 27% and 40.5%, and none or mild in 21.6% and 27% of patients respectively. The ability of semi-quantitative estimation of PR determined by cardiac catheterization to distinguish between mild, moderate and severe pulmonary regurgitation was shown to have significant correlation with pulmonary regurgitant fraction obtained by CMR.

CONCLUSIONS

Angiography obtained during invasive study can be used for the diagnosis and follow-up of pulmonary regurgitation confidently in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot and residual pulmonary regurgitation.