Lauriero Francesco, Mazza Giulia, Perazzolo Alessio, Ottoni Giacomo, Cipriani Alessia, Castro Pereira José F, Marano Riccardo, Natale Luigi
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Oncological Radiotherapy and Hematology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy.
Department of Radiological and Haematological Sciences-Section of Radiology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy.
J Cardiovasc Dev Dis. 2025 Jan 25;12(2):43. doi: 10.3390/jcdd12020043.
Pregnancy induces significant hemodynamic changes, and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are one of the leading causes of non-obstetric maternal morbidity and mortality during pregnancy or the postpartum period in developed countries. The effective diagnosis and management of CVDs in pregnant women require a thorough evaluation that considers the health of both the mother and the fetus. Imaging plays a pivotal role in this evaluation, offering essential insights into the most significant pregnancy-related CVDs. However, due to concerns about fetal exposure, the use of contrast agents and radiation exposure must be carefully managed. Following to the principle of "As Low As Reasonably Achievable" (ALARA), strategies to minimize these risks are crucial for ensuring patient safety while maintaining diagnostic accuracy. This review highlights the contribution of cardiovascular imaging techniques, particularly computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in the assessment of common pregnancy-related CVDs, and outlines strategies to reduce radiation exposure and limit contrast agent use when feasible, aiming to increase radiologists' awareness of this crucial topic.
怀孕会引起显著的血流动力学变化，在发达国家，心血管疾病（CVD）是孕期或产后非产科孕产妇发病和死亡的主要原因之一。对孕妇心血管疾病进行有效诊断和管理需要全面评估，同时考虑母亲和胎儿的健康状况。影像学在这一评估中起着关键作用，能为最主要的妊娠相关心血管疾病提供重要见解。然而，由于担心胎儿受到辐射，造影剂的使用和辐射暴露必须谨慎管理。遵循“合理尽可能低”（ALARA）原则，将这些风险降至最低的策略对于确保患者安全同时维持诊断准确性至关重要。本综述强调了心血管成像技术，特别是计算机断层扫描（CT）和磁共振成像（MRI）在评估常见妊娠相关心血管疾病中的作用，并概述了在可行时减少辐射暴露和限制造影剂使用的策略，旨在提高放射科医生对这一关键主题的认识。
