Journal of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery

Recently, growing number of difficult cases with congenital heart disease can grow up and become adults. Function of right ventricle as a pump for pulmonary circulation has great impact on the quality of life, mortality, and the necessity of re-operation in such patients. Cardiovascular visualization and volume measurements, which previously required cardiac catheterization, can be obtained by non-invasive well-developed modalities such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. However, only cardiac catheterization can provide the direct pressure and oxygen saturation measurements for the irreplaceable assessment of cardiovascular function, and systemic and pulmonary circulation. This review summarizes and discusses the common and detailed evaluations, and future direction of right heart catheterization.