Coarctation of the aorta in children undergoing angioplasty: pretreatment and posttreatment MR imaging.

Twelve children (aged 4-15 years) with suspected coarctation of the aorta or restenosis of the aorta after previous coarctation repair were considered for balloon angioplasty. Gated magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and cineangiography of the aorta were performed before angioplasty in all 12 children. In six of the nine children treated with angioplasty, MR imaging was performed between 1 day and 4 months later. Correlation with cineangiography showed that MR imaging accurately delineated the site and characteristics of the coarctation before balloon angioplasty. After balloon dilation, MR demonstrated a significant increase in the diameter of the aorta at the coarctation site in four patients and no change in two patients. No complications such as aneurysm formation, dissection, or hematoma were detected as a result of balloon angioplasty in the follow-up MR studies. A decrease in the number and size of collateral vessels was identified in successfully treated patients. MR was useful in identifying patients who were unlikely to benefit from angioplasty, determining the appropriate balloon size for angioplasty, and noninvasively monitoring patients who underwent angioplasty.