MRI Evaluation of the Right Ventricle in Children with Chronic Pulmonary Diseases

Abstract

Twenty patients with chronic chest troubles, as well as, s1x healthy control subjects were studied using echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging for assessra nt of right ventricular functions.

T)lough MRI is superior to echocardiography in measuring volumes, yet the difficult technique, the need of anaesthesia in children, the associated claustrophobia, the need for an experienced interpreter, the prolonged examination time and the long off data processing, add to this being an expensive technique make MRI still a research tool and not a method for everyday use.

New echocardiographic techniques as 3 D echo and tissue:doppler may offer another alternative, that may be more suitable for childhood age as a hope for early diagnosis of asymptomatic patients with pulmonary hypertension and thus early start of treatment in those children.