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MRI is a key diagnostic tool in identifying anomalies of aortic arch and its branches and can be considered the imaging technique of choice when planning their surgical management. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an important diagnostic tool in identifying anomalies of aortic arch and its branches and can be considered the imaging technique of choice when planning their surgical management. That's the conclusion of a British study presented on 11 March at the European Congress of Radiology.

For the investigation, the team retrospectively reviewed all cardiac MR scans performed at Guy's Hospital and Evelina Children's Hospital, London, from November 2002 through June 2006. MR imaging included 3D axial volume, cine images, short axis ventricular volumes, phase contrast flow of great vessels and 3D Gadolinium MRA.

Three major categories of anomalies were identified in 44 patients: double aortic arch, right sided aortic arch and aberrant right sub-clavian artery.

In double aortic arch group, six patients were symptomatic and four of them underwent a surgical operation. MRI was used to plan the surgical management.

In right-sided aortic arch group, no patients presented with symptoms of airway compression. However, the team noticed a strong correlation with defined subgroups of CHD: pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (44 per cent), Tetralogy of Fallot (33 per cent) and double outlet right ventricle (11 per cent).

In aberrant right sub-clavian group, no patients presented symptoms of swallowing or breathing difficulty. The most common diagnosis was aortic coarctation in 75 per cent of these cases.