Role of low kilovoltage electrocardiographic-gated multidetector CT in electrophysiological procedures in the paediatric age group

Abstract

© Cambridge University Press 2016. Treatment of arrhythmias by catheter ablation targeting the anatomical foci of arrhythmias by radiofrequency has evolved dramatically in recent years. A road map for the relevant heart structures is an important asset for the success of the procedure and should be obtained before the intervention. This can be achieved by intra-cardiac echocardiography, conventional angiographic methods, multidetector CT, or MRI. The electrophysiological technique comprises a diagnostic procedure and an interventional - therapeutic - procedure. Electrocardiographic-gated multidetector CT is important in the diagnostic session to evaluate the anatomical details in combination with electric activity mapping. This combined protocol provides a unique view of the propagation of electrical activity, either normal or abnormal, over cardiac structures and allows a precise functional and anatomical evaluation to be obtained. In this review, we evaluate the role of electrocardiographic-gated multidetector CT in roadmapping arrhythmias in the paediatric age group, focussing on its strengths; we also evaluated some additional aspects that need further improvement in the future.