New directives in cardiac imaging: imaging the adult with congenital heart disease

Abstract

Advances in pediatric surgical and interventional techniques and medical care over the past 50 years have revolutionized the care of children with congenital heart disease. Survival to adulthood is now expected and, as such, there is a growing population of adults which is exceeding the pediatric population with congenital heart disease. Noninvasive cardiac imaging with modalities such as echocardiography, computed tomography, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging are integral to the care of adults with congenital heart disease. These modalities are used for diagnosis, surveillance for complications late after surgery and catheter-based interventions, and in decision-making for medical, interventional, and surgical therapies. In this review we will discuss noninvasive imaging modalities used to assess congenital cardiac lesions, imaging strategies for select congenital lesions, and comment on the future of cardiac imaging in congenital heart disease.