When an echo is not enough
Echocardiography answers most questions in paediatric cardiology. For complex conditions — particularly those involving the great vessels, the airways or unusual anatomy — cross-sectional imaging adds detail that ultrasound cannot reach.
Dr. Pankaj Sugaonkar reports paediatric cardiac CT and MRI studies and uses them in planning interventions and surgery.
Cardiac MRI
MRI produces exceptionally detailed images of the heart and blood vessels with no radiation at all. It is particularly good at measuring how much blood is flowing where, assessing heart muscle function, and mapping complex anatomy.
Its drawbacks: it takes a long time, it is not available everywhere, it costs more, and young children usually need sedation or anaesthesia to lie still for the duration. It also uses a contrast agent in some cases.
Cardiac CT
CT is fast — often a matter of seconds — and gives outstanding spatial detail, including of the airways, lungs, bones and soft tissue around the heart. That speed makes it useful in small or unwell children, and it frequently avoids the need for anaesthesia.
Its drawback is radiation exposure, so it is used deliberately rather than routinely, with paediatric dose protocols.
Which one your child needs
That depends entirely on the question being asked. Dr. Pankaj Sugaonkar will advise which study will answer it with the least burden on your child, and will explain why.