Cross-Sectional Echocardiographic Features of Anomalous Systemic and Coronary Venous Return

Abstract

Anomalous systemic venous return occurs as a co-existing abnormality in a small proportion of patients with congenital heart disease. Persistence of a left sided superior vena cava (LSVC) draining into the right atrium via an enlarged coronary sinus (CS) is the commonest anomaly (1). Recently M-mode echocardiography has demonstrated an enlarged CS when it drains abnormal systemic or pulmonary venous return (2). Cross-sectional echocardiography provides additional spatial orientation and more easily distinguishes echoes of spurious nature from those of anatomical structures. Observations using this technique were made in patients with anomalies of systemic and coronary venous return. The study also describes methods for the correct identification of these anomalies by the additional use of contrast injections into peripheral veins.