A case of absent right and persistent left superior vena cava

Our case report deals with the importance of detailed echocardiographic examination for differential diagnosis of coronary sinus dilation and development of abnormalities of great thoracic veins. A 49-year-old man underwent transthoracic echocardiography for atypical chest pain. A dilated coronary s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Cardiovascular ultrasound Vol. 4; no. 1; p. 6
Main Authors:	Pálinkás, Attila, Nagy, Edit, Forster, Tamás, Morvai, Zita, Nagy, Endre, Varga, Albert
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	England BioMed Central Ltd 26-01-2006 BioMed Central BMC
Subjects:	Angiography, Digital Subtraction Case Report Diagnosis, Differential Echocardiography Humans Male Middle Aged Vena Cava, Superior - abnormalities Vena Cava, Superior - diagnostic imaging
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Summary:	Our case report deals with the importance of detailed echocardiographic examination for differential diagnosis of coronary sinus dilation and development of abnormalities of great thoracic veins. A 49-year-old man underwent transthoracic echocardiography for atypical chest pain. A dilated coronary sinus was found and venous contrast echocardiography raised the suspicion of absent right and persistent left superior vena cava. Transesophageal echocardiography showed absence of right superior vena cava. The echocardiographic findings were confirmed by upper venous digital subtraction cavography. combination of agenesia of right SVC and isolated persistent left SVC in adult patients is a very rare abnormality. Both clinicians and sonographers should be alerted to the possible presence of this combined venous anomaly. Transthoracic echocardiograpy - including agitated saline infusion to the antecubital vein - is an important diagnostic tool for accurate diagnosis of this congenital thoracic venous malformation.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 ObjectType-Case Study-2 ObjectType-Feature-4 ObjectType-Report-1 ObjectType-Article-3
ISSN:	1476-7120 1476-7120
DOI:	10.1186/1476-7120-4-6