Extracardiac Vasculature in Candidates for Fontan Surgery: MR Imaging

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed in 53 patients considered to be candidates for a modified Fontan operation to repair cardiac or extracardiac vascular anomalies. The MR studies were reviewed retrospectively, and the findings with regard to the extracardiac vascular anatomy were compared with the findings from angiography or surgery. The accuracy of MR for the correct identification of the systemic veins was 98%; for pulmonary arteries, 97%; and for pulmonary veins, 95%. For identification of pulmonary veins, MR imaging had a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 100%. MR provides excellent demonstration of the extracardiac vascular structures, which are of particular importance in patients being considered for a Fontan procedure.