Angiocardiography in the diagnosis of congenital heart disease.

The importance of accurate diagnosis in congenital heart disease has of recent years increased with the advent of surgical methods of treatment. Angiocardiography provides a method whereby this necessary accuracy may be obtained. The history and technique of the method are briefly reviewed. The normal appearances of angiocardiography are discussed with illustrations. It is emphasised that the shapes of the cardiac chambers differ in some respects from the anatomical descriptions founded on dissections of the cadaver. Reasons for these differences are suggested. Examples of abnormal angiocardiograms in a variety of congenital heart lesions are shown to illustrate the diagnostic value of the method. It must be emphasised that autopsy confirmation of the interpretation of these findings has not yet been obtained. Until such proof is forthcoming interpretations are considered to be provisional. However, they are in all cases supported by other clinical, radiological, and electrocardiographic evidence. It is c...