Tetrology of Fallot
Alternate Names : ToF, Fallot's Syndrome
How is the condition diagnosed?
After a complete history and physical exam are done, a variety of imaging tests can confirm the diagnosis.
An electrocardiogram traces electrical activity in the heart muscle. It usually reveals enlargement in the muscles of the right ventricle of the heart, which pumps blood to the lungs.
A chest X-ray shows a characteristic boot-shaped heart of fairly normal size.
An echocardiogram uses sound waves to see a hole in the wall between the two sides of the heart. Narrowing of the pulmonary valve through which blood must pass on its way to the lungs can also been seen with this test.
Angiography provides detailed images of the structural defects in the heart and the degree to which blood flow is blocked. Angiography is
an X-ray of the heart performed after a dye has been injected.
|