Current concepts on imaging of thoracic vascular abnormalities

Pediatric thoracic vascular abnormalities include many anatomic variants an d pathologic conditions. Although some vascular variants are inconsequentia l and are discovered incidentally on imaging studies, several anomalies hav e profound effects on the airway and pulmonary parenchyma. Imaging plays a key role in evaluating the chest and its vasculature. The chest radiograph is usually the first screening study performed during the course of evaluat ion for a vascular abnormality. Cross-sectional imaging with CT and magneti c resonance imaging provides precise anatomic information and has in most c ases replaced invasive diagnostic angiographic procedures. We describe comm on thoracic vascular abnormalities that occur in children and the imaging t echniques currently used in their evaluation. Curr Opin Pediatr 2000, 12:19 4-202 (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.