The functional single ventricle: how imaging guides treatment

Abstract

Functional single ventricle (FSV) encompasses a spectrum of severe congenital heart disease. Patients with FSV are living longer than decades prior resulting in more frequent imaging both for surgical planning and functional evaluation. At each stage of surgical intervention, imaging plays a critical role in detecting postoperative complications and preprocedural planning. This article describes the unique imaging findings, including complications, that are most important to the referring physician or surgeon at each surgical stage of FSV management. A description of lesions that embody the diagnosis of FSV is also included.

Keywords: Cardiac CT; Cardiac MR; Congenital heart disease; Fontan; Single ventricle.