- Etiology: failure of closure of the fetal ductus arteriosus connecting the main pulmonary artery to the descending aorta leading to a left to right shunt
- CXR: cardiomegaly and increased pulmonary blood flow that increases over time
- Angiogram: simultaneous filling of the pulmonary artery and aorta when either is injected
- Imaging: 33% have a ductus diverticulum which is a developmental outpouching aortic isthmus where ductus arteriosus attaches which also happens to be the site of 90% of post-traumatic aortic injuries so it should not be mistaken for a traumatic aortic pseudoaneurysm
- Complications: prostaglandin E – keeps patent ductus arteriosus open in patent ductus arteriosus dependent congenital heart diseases (pulmonary atresia, hypoplastic left heart syndrome), can cause periostitis, can cause gastric mucosal hypertrophy mimicing hypertrophic pyloric stenosis
- Complications: indomethacin – closes patent ductus arteriosus, can cause gastrointestinal perforation
- Clinical: in fetus gas exchange occurs at placenta and thus ductus arteriosus allows oxygenated blood from placenta to bypass high resistance pulmonary bed and enter systemic circulation, usually closes within 24-48 hours of birth in term neonate, acyanotic
Radiology Cases of Patent Ductus Arteriosus





