This session is now available on demand through the Members Only Section!

Presenter: Tiffany Colarusso, MD, FAAP, Pediatrician, Metropolitan Atlanta Congenital Defects Program, CDC

SUMMARY:
Congenital heart defects (CHDs), also know as cardiovascular malformations, are common birth defects, affecting 8 out of 1,000 babies in the United States. Their anatomic complexity, nomenclature, and coding pose tremendous challenges to birth defect surveillance programs and researchers (abstractors, coordinators, coding specialists, clinicians). CHDs are diagnosed using a variety of methods, which are often highly technical and specialized procedures.  Deciphering the available information in these diagnostic tools is important in gathering accurate, useful data on CHDs. 

The presenter will provide a brief overview of:

• Normal cardiac anatomy and how the heart works

She will also discuss the following topics:

• Diagnostic Tests – what can be told by each type of test 

• Roadmap of an echocardiogram report: Sections of a complete report and the important details describing the heart and major vessels.
• Catheterization reports (brief overview) 
• What to do if reports/diagnostics do not match
• What is important for abstractors to look for

• Prenatal Diagnosis – utility of prenatal diagnosis; what can be seen/diagnosed prenatally
• Clinical Notes and Impressions
• Passive Registries:  Using Available Information

QUESTIONS: If you have any questions, contact Miland Palmer or Cara Mai.