In Search for Optimal Image Quality in Pediatric Cardiac CT Angiogram

“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children”. Years after his death, these Nelson Mandela’s prolific words still resonate universally with our moral and ethical foundations and, as researchers ourselves, we are very happy to know that Science walks on the right path of history.

There are a number of methodological and ethical challenges of performing research in children. However, there can be no progress in pediatric clinical care without research in this population, whose findings may also otherwise be relevant to adult medicine. Given that approximately 1% of born children will have some kind of significant heart disease, it is of crucial importance to maximize the safety and efficacy profile of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Computed tomography cardiac angiography (CTCA) is being increasingly used, but its diagnostic accuracy in children is highly dependent on optimal image quality while minimizing radiation exposure as much as possible.

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