The superior vena cava: conventional projections.

Abstract

A S ALREADY noted, anomalies of the SVC are fairly common and are nicely demonmediastinal mass and lead to additional studies and even unnecessary surgery. In my own experistrated on CT. I have illustrated them here in conventional frontal projection so that you can suspect or recognize them from the plain films. Figure 1 illustrates double SVC and Fig 2 shows a left SVC entering the left coronary sinus. A left SVC can be recognized on the plain PA teleroentgenogram as a subtle vertical interface extending caudally from the left clavicle to the heart overlapping or lying just lateral to the aortic knob. This interface vanishes as it approaches the clavicle because of its location in the anterior mediastinum (the cervicothoracic sign’). From the Department of Radiology, University Hospital, Cincinnati. fDr Felson died Ott 22, 1988. Address reprint requests to Benjamin F&on, MD, Department of Radiology, #742, University Hospital, Cincinnati, OH 45247. Another variant of the SVC is idiopathic dilatation (Fig 3).2 The enlarged vessel may mimic a 0 I989 by W.B. Saunders Company.