Non-cardiovascular findings on chest CT angiography in children with congenital heart disease: How important are they?

BACKGROUND: There are only a few publications about the non-cardiovascular findings in children with congenital heart diseases explored by chest CT angiography. The purpose of our study is to evaluate the prevalence of non-cardiovascular findings on chest CT angiographies in children with congenital heart disease and to raise awareness about their importance among the radiologists. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the 272 chest CT angiographies performed in our pediatric radiology department between January 2017 and march 2021 and extracted the data of the 180 patients positive for a congenital heart disease. Then from that pool, we sorted out the non-cardiovascular findings into significant and non-significant in regard of their relevance or not in the patient’s management. RESULTS: Non-cardiovascular lesions were found in 58% (105/180) of our patients, and 49% (88/180) of them presented at least one significant non-cardiac lesion. Lung and airways abnormalities were found in 41% (74/180) of the cases, representing the majority of the non-cardiovascular findings. Syndromic associations were found in 17% (28/180) of our patients, including 14 cases of heterotaxic syndrome. CONCLUSION: Non-cardiovascular findings are common in children with congenital heart disease. Reporting these associated lesions is a requisite for an optimal therapeutic management of these children. Radiologists should never forget that a Chest CT angiography in children is first and foremost a chest CT.