The chest x-ray in congenital heart disease 1 : total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage and coarctation of the aorta

Abstract

The chest x-ray (CXR) is a useful investigation in congenital heart disease, and has been probably ignored in recent years as echocardiography and other exotic and expensive imaging techniques can show anatomy and physiology. The CXR is a simple, quick and cheap test that yields useful diagnostic information, heart size, lung pathology as well as providing a readily available documentation of these facts for serial comparison. Such information is useful and even vital for the paediatric and the grown up congenital heart population. The echocardiogram gives little or no information on lung pathology or secondary pulmonary effects. The CXR readily demonstrates the classic heart shapes of congenital heart disease and supplies an easily seen record of heart size with low radiation levels. For young clinicians to find teaching about this cheap investigation is hard. This article is the first of a series of articles that highlight the use and the value of the CXR in congenital heart disease.