Atrial-level shunts: sensitivity and specificity of MR in diagnosis.

Gated transverse cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) images from 31 patients with proved atrial septal defect (ASD) and from 33 control subjects were reviewed retrospectively by a panel of cardiac radiologists. The panel, by consensus, determined the presence and the type of ASD and assigned a confidence level for each diagnosis. A total of 97% of ASDs were correctly identified at high levels of specificity (primum, 100%; secundum, 96%; common atrium, 100%). Sensitivity and specificity are illustrated by receiver operating characteristic curves. Pulmonary veins were demonstrated at rates exceeding those reported for echocardiography. Further, all cases of anomalous pulmonary venous connection proved by angiography were also demonstrated by MR. Thus, MR has high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis and location of atrial-level shunts and is at least as accurate as, and possibly more accurate than, traditional techniques for the diagnosis of anomalous pulmonary venous connection.