children s health issues
Coarctation of the Aorta
Diagnosis of Coarctation of the Aorta
Echocardiography Sometimes computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Coarctation is usually suspected when a doctor notices a heart murmur or differences in pulses or blood pressures between the arms and legs when doing a physical examination. A heart murmur is a sound created by turbulent blood flow through narrowed or leaking heart valves or through abnormal heart structures. In addition, the blood pressure measured in the arms may be quite high. Echocardiography and Other Ultrasound Procedures (ultrasonography of the heart) and, sometimes, CT or MRI confirms the diagnosis. Electrocardiography (ECG) and 