Three-dimensional printing, holograms, computational modelling, and artificial intelligence for adult congenital heart disease care: an exciting future
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a complex condition characterized by intricate three-dimensional (3D) anatomy. To accurately assess its consequences and guide therapy, a thorough understanding of this anatomy is essential. Therefore, detailed cardiac imaging plays a crucial role in the early detection and planning of interventional and/or surgical treatment.
In recent years, advanced technologies have revolutionized the diagnostic and therapeutic practices in managing CHD. While traditional imaging modalities like echocardiography, cardiac computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remain important, they have been supplemented by emerging technologies such as 3D printing, virtual reality, augmented reality, computational modeling, and artificial intelligence. These new technologies have become invaluable due to the limitations of standard imaging techniques, providing additional information that was previously unavailable.
This shift has opened up potential opportunities to incorporate these technologies into daily clinical practice, leading to personalized medicine and achieving the best possible outcomes for patients. Using innovative tools, physicians can gain a deeper understanding of the application of these technologies in adult congenital heart disease. This knowledge serves as a stepping stone towards integrate these technologies into daily clinical practice.
In this review, we aimed to provide an overview of these technologies and their practical application in adult congenital heart disease. Showing their potential benefits and real-world use, we wished to open the way for their integration into daily clinical practice, ultimately improving patient care.
Translated by Massimo Chessa, Policlinico San Donato, Milano, Italy
Chessa M, Van De Bruaene A, Farooqi K, Valverde I, Jung C, Votta E, Sturla F, Diller GP, Brida M, Sun Z, Little SH, Gatzoulis MA. Three-dimensional printing, holograms, computational modelling, and artificial intelligence for adult congenital heart disease care: an exciting future. Eur Heart J. 2022 Jul 21;43(28):2672-2684. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehac266. PMID: 35608227.