Transposition of the great arteries Diagnosis: chest x-ray, cardiac catheterisation, echocardiogram, ecg

Transposition of the great arteries - Diagnosis

Diagnosis of Transposition of the great arteries (TGA) can be done either during pregnancy or after the baby is born.

During pregnancy

Pregnant mothers can go for prenatal tests to check for birth defects. Signs of TGA such as heart murmurs might be detected during an ultrasound scan of the mother, and the doctor might order a fetal echocardiogram (ultrasound scan of the baby’s heart) to see if there are problems with the heart’s structure and function.

For adults, diagnosis usually starts with a physical examination by a doctor, assessing your medical history and routine tests. If the doctor hears a heart murmur during the physical examination, he/she might order other tests to confirm the diagnosis of TGA. The recommended tests may include:

Chest X-ray: Allows the doctor to see if there is blood flow building up in the lungs.
Electrocardiogram (ECG): This can show the heart’s activity and heart rate by recording the heart’s electrical activity.
Echocardiogram: Accurately shows the position of the aorta and pulmonary artery to determine if there is TGA. It can also detect other congenital heart defects such as ventricular septal defect (VSD) or atrial septal defect (ASD).
Cardiac catheterisation: A flexible, thin tube (catheter) will be inserted into the heart through a blood vessel in the leg or abdomen to diagnose TGA.