Levotransposition of the aorta: identification of segmental cardiac anatomy using MR imaging.

Several reports have shown that high-quality magnetic resonance (MR) images can be obtained in patients with congenital heart disease. However, little attention has been paid to the segmental analysis of cardiac MR images. The authors believe that this approach is essential in the evaluation of complex congenital cardiac abnormalities. The segmental approach is based on the morphologic identification of the different cardiac compartments and the type of connection among these compartments. The authors applied the basic principles of the segmental approach to the interpretation of MR images obtained in a group of patients with levotransposition of the aorta. Results indicate that this logical step-by-step method can be used to advantage in the accurate analysis of MR images obtained in patients with complex congenital cardiac disease. In this report, the authors discuss the results obtained when the segmental approach is used to interpret cardiac MR images.