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Usefulness of 4D-Flow MRI in Mapping Flow Distribution Through Failing Fontan Circulation Prior to Cardiac Intervention

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Abstract

We report a case of a 23-year-old male with failing Fontan circulation who was taken to the catheterization lab to better evaluate the Fontan circulation and hemodynamics. Catheterization revealed arteriovenous malformations exclusively present in the right lung leading to the consideration of placing stents to direct the inferior vena cava flow through the Fontan circuit to the right pulmonary artery (RPA), thus increasing the RPA concentration of the hepatic factor. However, comprehensive 4D-Flow MRI analyses indicated sufficient distribution of the hepatic flow between branch pulmonary arteries, and consequently no further invasive intervention to redirect hepatic flow was performed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiology, Heart Institute, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, 13123 E 16th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045-2560, USA

    Daniel McLennan, Michal Schäfer, Gareth J. Morgan, Dunbar Ivy, Alex J. Barker & Roni Jacobsen

  2. Section of Congenital Heart Surgery, Heart Institute, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA

    Max B. Mitchell

Authors
  1. Daniel McLennan
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  2. Michal Schäfer
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  3. Max B. Mitchell
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  4. Gareth J. Morgan
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  5. Dunbar Ivy
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  6. Alex J. Barker
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  7. Roni Jacobsen
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Correspondence to Daniel McLennan.

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No author involved in this case review has any conflicts of interest pertinent to the study.

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This article is a retrospective case study and is in compliance with ethical standards.

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McLennan, D., Schäfer, M., Mitchell, M.B. et al. Usefulness of 4D-Flow MRI in Mapping Flow Distribution Through Failing Fontan Circulation Prior to Cardiac Intervention. Pediatr Cardiol 40, 1093–1096 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-019-02101-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-019-02101-7

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