The Congenital Cardiac Diagnosis Translator (CCDT): Enhancing interoperability in congenital cardiac diagnosis terminology.

Objectives: Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) are classified using diverse terminologies worldwide, creating barriers to effective communication and collaboration in both clinical practice and research. This project aimed to develop a tool to improve interoperability between commonly used CHD classification systems. Methods and results: The Congenital Cardiac Diagnosis Translator (CCDT) was developed by manually cross-matching diagnostic terms across six coding systems: Fyler, HPO, IPCCC, STS, ICD-10, and ICD-11. Terms were reviewed one system at a time. When an exact match was unavailable, the most specific encompassing diagnosis was selected; in cases where no suitable match existed, no translation was provided. Mappings were consolidated into a curated master lookup table. The CCDT was implemented as a web-based tool with a graphical user interface, enabling term-specific searches. Translations were qualitatively validated by clinical experts in congenital cardiology to ensure accuracy and relevance. The CCDT includes 505 unique congenital heart diagnoses cross-mapped across six coding systems. Qualitative feedback indicated that the translator is intuitive, accurate, and easy to use. Conclusions: The CCDT provides a scalable, expert-informed solution for improving interoperability across CHD classification systems. By standardizing diagnostic terminology, it supports global collaboration and data sharing in congenital cardiology. The translator is freely accessible and will continue to evolve alongside diagnostic systems.