Pre- and post-operative cardiovascular CT in Stage I single ventricle palliation.

Objectives The aim of this study is to describe clinical utility of low dose cardiac computed tomography (CT) in the evaluation of single ventricle physiology before and after Stage I palliation. Background Despite the increased utilization of CT imaging and advancement of CT technology, there are limited studies describing the routine clinical use of cardiac CT and radiation dose parameters in the single ventricle Stage I palliation. Methods This single center, retrospective study included 57 infants with single ventricle physiology who underwent cardiac CT scans between January 1, 2016 and November 30, 2020. Patients' demographic information, diagnosis, indication, total dose length product (DLP), computed tomographic dose index volume (CTDIvol), cardiac CT findings and intraoperative or intraprocedural findings were reviewed. Estimated effective radiation dose was calculated using a previously published conversion rate. Results The studies were performed using different generations of CT scanners over the 4 years period: Somatom AS 128, Somatom definition edge, Somatom Force (Siemens Medical Solutions). The studies performed with dual source scanner with prospective gated technique have lower radiation dose exposure with median effective radiation dose of 0.32 mSv. Conclusion Pre- and post-operative cardiovascular CT in Stage I single ventricle palliation using newer generation scanners with prospective gated technique can be done with minimal radiation exposure and good image quality. Cardiac CT is a powerful imaging modality for better management planning in this group of patients.