How Congenital Heart Defects Are Diagnosed

If a congenital heart defect is severe (for example, as in the case of tetralogy of Fallot), it will likely be diagnosed when a mother-to-be is pregnant. If it is not diagnosed during pregnancy, there is a high likelihood that it will be detected within weeks after she gives birth to the child. If the defect is less severe, it can remain hidden for years. In those cases, a physical exam, X-rays, and other tests will eventually expose it.

In this article, we’ll provide a brief overview of the types of tests that physicians, pediatrists, and pediatric cardiologists will use to diagnose congenital heart defects.

Physical Examination

A doctor may stumble upon signs of a defect through conducting a routine physical exam. He may listen to the child’s heart activity by using a stethoscope, and detect a problem. Or, if symptoms of a heart defect manifest, he might try to identify cyanosis (a warning sign of complex defects), breathing difficulties, or other signs. A physical exam is rarely adequate for accurately diagnosing heart problems in children.

Echocardiography

An echocardiogram generates a moving image of the child’s heart through ultrasound. Sound waves create the image and allow the physician to examine the muscle’s function. The doctor can not only identify defects, but can also determine how the muscle is adapting to them. Echocardiography can be performed while the mother is still carrying the child in her womb. If a congenital problem is identified, a treatment path can be formulated before childbirth.

Electrocardiogram

An electrocardiogram (ECG) can be used to study the electrical signals generated in the sinus node as they travel throughout the heart’s four chambers. It can highlight the rhythm, pace, and strength of the heartbeats as the signals travel from the atria to the ventricles.

X-Ray Of The Chest

While X-rays are limited in their scope when compared to an echocardiogram or ECG, they can help the physician identify an enlarged heart. They can also provide clues (e.g. fluid in the lungs) that imply the child is suffering from mild heart failure.

Cardiac Catheterization

Cardiac catheterization is a slightly invasive procedure. A catheter is inserted into the groin or arm, and threaded through a blood vessel to the heart. Once the catheter arrives at the site, a dye is released into one of the heart’s four chambers. The dye is used to create an X-ray image of the area that lets the doctor examine the flow of blood through the targeted chamber.

This same technique can be used to identify the level of oxygen and blood within certain chambers. If the levels are low or high, they may imply the presence of an atrial or ventricular septal defect. These are characterized by a hole in the septum, the wall separating the left and right sides of the heart.

Once a congenital heart defect has been identified, your doctor can determine whether treatment is necessary. If it is, treatment can include medications, catheter-based procedures, and even open-heart surgery.

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