What is the ductus arteriosus?
The ductus arteriosus is a normal and necessary fetal right-to-left shunt between the main or proximal left pulmonary artery and proximal descending thoracic aorta that serves to bypass the lungs in utero.
What is the patent ductus arteriosus?
It normally closes within 24 to 48 hours of birth.
Persistent patency beyond 3 months after birth is considered a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).
When the ductus arteriosus closes?
The ductus arteriosus functionally closes 10 to 15 hours after birth by contracture of smooth muscles, and anatomically closes 2 to 3 weeks after birth.
Imaging finding of the patent ductus arteriosus
Increased pulmonary vascularity
Left atrial, Left ventricular enlargement
Enlarged Aorta
Long standing or Large Left-to-Right shunt ➜ Pulmonary hypertension ➜ Reversed shunt flow with cyanosis ; Eisenmenger syndrome
