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

Abstract

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.