Morphometric analysis of the heart and aorta in the pediatric population with thoracic computed tomography images

Early diagnosis and treatment of diseases occurring in the heart and these large vessels are of great importance for the continuity of life. Early diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart diseases, especially in childhood, is very important for the individual's quality of life. However, in order for clinical practices and surgical procedures performed during the treatment phase to be more reliable and successful, the anatomy and morphometry of the heart, aorta and truncus pulmonalis must be known very well. Considering all these, this study aimed to evaluate the morphometry of the heart, aortae and truncus pulmonalis in the pediatric population. In our study, thorax images of 450 pediatric cases between the ages of 0-18 were retrospectively examined with multidetector computed tomography. Length and diameter measurements of the heart, aorta and truncus pulmonalis were made in axial, coronal and sagittal planes. The cases were evaluated separately according to their age group and gender. As a result of statistical analysis, it was revealed that diameter and length measurements increased in direct proportion with age (p<0.001). A directly proportional positive correlation relationship was detected between age and diameter and length measurements. When all parameters related to the heart and aorta were evaluated, it was determined that there was a statistically significant difference between genders. (p<0.001). It was determined that the average values for men were greater than for women. As a result, it was determined that measurement results increased with age in our study. With the results obtained from our study, a morphometric scale for the 0-18 age range was created. We believe that the data presented in this context will be helpful in clinical practices and surgical procedures regarding the heart and aorta in the pediatric population. Keywords: Anatomy, Aorta, Heart, Morphometry, Multidetector Computed Tomography, Pediatrics, Pulmonary Trunk