Normative MDCT cross-sectional data estimation of superior vena cava and innominate vein in growing children using age as a predictor.

This retrospective study aimed to determine the superior vena cava (SVC) and left innominate vein (INV) normative cross-sectional area in children noninvasively using age as a predictor and also to compare the correlation of the area measured with the diameter on multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). Analysis of the SVC-INV cross-sectional area was performed for 73 consecutive patients. The cross-sectional area of the SVC-INV was manually estimated. A regression analysis was performed for the cross-sectional area and age separately, and regression equations were compared. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to evaluate significant differences in the area means according to age groups. Regression analysis showed that age can be a predictor for the area of the SVC (50.6 mm(2) + 1.01 × age), te INV (48.3 mm(2) + 0.93 × age), and the left SVC-INV junction (47.2 mm(2) + 0.92 × age), with respective R(2) values of 93, 88 and 94%. The comparative evaluation of the cross-sectional area and the diameter measurement of SVC showed that the cross-sectional area was more closely associated with the increasing age of the cohort (R(2) of 68 vs. 61%) than the measured diameter. For a cohort of patients without congenital or acquired heart disease, MDCT can be used as a complementary test for a normative cross-sectional normogram area database of SVC-INV using age as a predictor.