Coronary artery anomalies: incidence, pathophysiology, clinical relevance and role of diagnostic imaging

Juvenile sudden cardiac death due to congenital coronary ostial valve-like ridges: A case report and literature review

Coronary artery anomalies are a heterogeneous group of congenital disorders affecting the coronary pattern with a characteristic (origin, number, number of hosts, course, etc.). They are rarely found in the population. We report the case of a 21-year-old male who died from sudden cardiac death caused by an isolated coronary ostial obstruction, secondary to a rare anomaly, the presence of a valve-like ridge consisting of a small fold in the Valsalva aortic sinus. The study provides a brief literature review on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and clinical and medico-legal issues in coronary artery anomaly cases that may be helpful in forensic practice when dealing with sudden cardiac death in young people and highlights key points for further research and public health measures.

Anomalous Right Coronary Artery Origin from Left Main Stem: Role of Cardio-Computed Tomography in the Diagnosis and Therapeutic Approach

Anomalous coronary arteries (ACAs) are rare but potentially life-threatening abnormalities of coronary circulation. Most of the variants are benign; however, some may lead to myocardial ischemia and/or sudden cardiac arrest. We report the case of a 75-year-old male complaining of exertion chest discomfort. Admission electrocardiogram on presentation showed sinus bradycardia with a slight elevation of ST-T in inferior leads. Troponin levels, however, were normal. Coronary angiography showed an anomalous right coronary artery (RCA) originating from the left main stem without significant stenosis. Cardio-CT confirmed the anomalous origin of the RCA from the left main stem and showed its anomalous course between the aorta and the pulmonary artery. The patient was deemed a candidate for surgery and transferred to a cardiac surgery center. Only the exact definition of the anatomic and clinical features of ACAs may allow the identification of the most appropriate and effective treatment. Multislice computed tomography may play a fundamental role in the diagnosis and treatment of ACAs.

Advances in the noninvasive evaluation of coronary artery disease with multislice computed tomography

Current noninvasive detection of coronary artery disease (CAD) is based on the demonstration of ischemia using stress-rest imaging, which is an indirect way of identifying CAD by demonstration of the hemodynamic consequences, rather than direct visualization of the obstructive lesions in the coronary arteries. Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) has recently emerged as an extremely rapidly developing noninvasive imaging modality, which allows anatomical imaging of the coronary arteries or noninvasive coronary angiography. In addition, total plaque burden, plaque morphology and (to some extent) plaque constitution can be assessed by MSCT. The technique also provides information on resting left ventricular systolic function, and possibly resting perfusion. Ideally, stress function and perfusion should also be evaluated, since this would allow detection of ischemia and would complete the picture of CAD. However, this is not routinely performed, since sequential acquisitions are associated with high radiation doses and thus pose a limitation for cardiovascular applications of MSCT. It is anticipated that, with a reduction in radiation, MSCT may become an important player in the diagnostic and prognostic work-up of patients with known or suspected CAD.

Can coronary artery anomalies be detected on CT calcium scoring studies?

PURPOSE

To determine whether coronary artery anomalies can be detected on noncontrast computed tomography (CT) coronary artery calcium scoring (CCS) studies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 126 patients (mean age 62 years; 35 women) underwent noncontrast CCS and contrast enhanced coronary CT angiography (cCTA). Thirty-three patients were diagnosed with a coronary anomaly on cCTA, whereas coronary anomalies were excluded in 93. Two observers (reader 1 [R1] and reader 2 [R2]), blinded to patient information independently evaluated each CCS study for: 1) visibility of coronary artery origins, 2) detection of coronary anomalies, and 3) benign or malignant (ie, interarterial) course. Using cCTA as the reference standard, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of CCS studies for detecting coronary anomalies were calculated.

RESULTS

Of the 33 coronary anomalies, 16 were benign and 17 malignant. Based on noncontrast CCS studies, R1 and R2 correctly identified the left main origin in 123/126 (97.6%) and 121/126 (96%) patients; the left anterior descending origin in 125/126 (99.2%) and 122/126 (96.8%); the circumflex origin in 120/126 (95.2%) and 105/126 (83.3%); and the right coronary artery origin in 117/126 (92.9%) and 103/126 (81.7%), respectively. R1 and R2 identified 34 and 27 coronary anomalies and classified 19 and 15 as malignant, respectively. Interobserver reproducibility for detection of coronary anomalies was good (k = 0.76). Interobserver agreement for detection of malignant variants was even stronger (k = 0.80). On average, coronary artery anomalies were diagnosed with 85.2% sensitivity, 96.4% specificity, 90.5% PPV, and 94.1% NPV on noncontrast CCS studies.

CONCLUSION

Benign and malignant coronary artery anomalies can be detected with relatively high accuracy on noncontrast-enhanced CCS studies. CCS studies should be reviewed for signs of coronary artery anomalies in order to identify malignant variants with possible impact on patient management.

Non invasive cardiac vein mapping: role of multislice CT coronary angiography

PURPOSE

Coronary venous anatomy is of primary importance when implanting a cardiac resynchronization therapy device, besides, the coronary sinus can be differently enlarged depending on chronic heart failure. The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of Coronary CTA in describing the coronary venous tree and in particular the coronary sinus and detecting main venous system variants.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

301 consecutive patients (196 ♂, mean age 63.74 years) studied for coronary artery disease with 64 slice Coronary CTA were retrospectively examined. The acquisition protocol was the standard acquisition one used for coronary artery evaluation but the cardiac venous system were visualized. The cardiac venous system was depicted using 3D, MPR, cMPR and MIP post-processing reconstructions on an off-line workstation. For each patient image quality, presence and caliber of the coronary sinus (CS), great cardiac vein (GCV), middle vein (MV), anterior interventricular vein (AIV), lateral cardiac vein (LCV), posterior cardiac vein (PCV), small cardiac vein (SCV) and presence of variant of the normal anatomy were examined and recorded.

RESULTS

CS, GCV, MV and AIV were visualized in 100% of the cases. The LCV was visualized in 255/301 (84%) patients, the PCV in 248/301 (83%) patients and the SCV in 69/301 (23%) patients. Mean diameter of the CS was 8.7 mm in 276/301 (91.7%) patients without chronic heart failure and 9.93 mm in 25/301 (8.3%) patients with chronic heart failure.

CONCLUSIONS

Coronary CTA allows non invasive mapping of the cardiac venous system and may represent a useful presurgical tool for biventricular pacemaker devices implantation.

Effects of iopamidol-370 versus iodixanol-320 on coronary contrast, branch depiction, and heart rate variability in dual-source coronary MDCT angiography

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this article is to assess whether iopamidol-370 provides superior vascular contrast of the coronaries and depiction of anatomic detail without affecting heart rate and beat-to-beat variability during coronary dual-source MDCT compared with iodixanol-320.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

In this prospective trial, coronary CT angiography was performed on 60 adult patients using either iopamidol-370 or iodixanol-320. Cohorts were matched by age, habitus, sex, and baseline heart rate, with cohort sizes determined by power analysis. All studies were performed on a dual-source MDCT scanner with retrospective ECG-gating utilizing automatic pitch adjustment. Data assessment focused on heart rate variability during contrast administration statistically evaluated as Student t test comparisons within and between cohorts, coronary contrast-to-noise ratio analysis of the main coronary arteries utilizing Student t test comparisons between cohorts, and coronary branch depiction and distribution analysis in dual-reader consensus decisions between cohorts.

RESULTS

Thirty patients matched for age, habitus, sex, and heart rate were evaluated in each cohort. ECG analyses found a statistically significant (p = 0.013) decrease in heart rate during administration of iodixanol-320. Beat-to-beat variations, expressed as coefficient of variation, within and among cohorts were low (coefficient of variation, < 0.05). Contrast-to-noise ratio was significantly increased for iopamidol-370 versus iodixanol-320 (aortic root, p = 0.021; left main, p = 0.032; left anterior descending, p = 0.033; left circumflex, p = 0.039; and right, p = 0.009). Analysis of coronary branch visualization revealed improved depiction for iopamidol-370 compared with iodixanol-320.

CONCLUSION

Iopamidol-370, with its higher iodine concentration, provided greater vascular contrast of the arterial coronary tree and improved depiction of anatomic detail without significantly impacting cardiac heart rate during coronary MDCT imaging, as compared with iodixanol-320.

Congenital anomalies of coronary arteries: Diagnosis with 64 slice multidetector CT

OBJECTIVE

Congenital coronary artery anomalies are generally incidental, uncommon and asymptomatic. Some can cause severe potentially life threatening symptoms. The common mode of studying the coronary arteries is Conventional Coronary Angiogram. ECG-gated-multidetector CT is a non invasive modality. The objective of our study was to identify rare congenital coronary artery anomalies and discuss their clinical significance.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total number of 900 MDCT coronary angiograms were carried out at our institution between the period of April 2006 and October 2010. Patients with coronary artery anomaly constituted the subject of study.

RESULTS

The incidence of anomalous anatomical origin and course of the coronary arteries in our study was 1.55%. Hemodynamical significance was seen in five patients. 3 cases of single coronary artery originating from right coronary sinus were seen. 1 case of anomalous left coronary artery arising from main pulmonary artery was seen. 4 cases of anomalous RCA arising from left aortic cusp, 6 cases of absent LMCA with separate origin of LAD and LCX were seen.

CONCLUSION

Multidetector row CT is a noninvasive modality in cardiac imaging. It provides superior resolution of coronary tree and its variant. No projectional vascular overlap is seen. Various postprocessing techniques outclass catheter angiography imaging. Definition of ostia and proximal course of the coronary arteries by Multidetector CT is better than catheter angiography.

Anomalous origin of the coronary arteries in children: diagnostic role of three-dimensional coronary MR angiography

When the anomalous origin of coronary arteries (AOCA) is suspected in children (especially athletes), due to signs and symptoms of myocardial ischemia or on the basis of echocardiographic assessment, three-dimensional coronary magnetic resonance angiography (3D-CMRA) can be proposed for the fine morphological evaluation of coronary branches anatomy and course. We tested the diagnostic potential of CMRA angiography in a prospective study on AOCA in young patients. Between July 2005 and June 2008, 15 patients aged 6-29 years (mean age, 13.5 years+/-5.6 S.D.; median, 14) with clinical and echocardiographic suspicion of AOCA underwent CMRA (1.5 T), 3D whole-heart, free-breathing technique, without the use of contrast medium and beta-blockers, with a mean examination time of 30 min. We acquired a second scan of all patients to ameliorate the quality of the acquisition and to improve our experience. AOCA was confirmed by 3D-CMRA in 8 out of 15 cases (53%) and three different anatomical variants were demonstrated, that is, ectopic origin of the left circumflex artery arising from the right coronary artery with retro-aortic course in four cases, single coronary artery arising from the right sinus of Valsalva with interarterial course in one case, ectopic right coronary artery arising from the left sinus of Valsalva with interarterial course in one case; in two patients without anomalies of origin of the coronary arteries, elongated LMCA with angulation of the proximal segment of the left circumflex artery was present. When AOCA is suspected particularly in children (especially athletes), CMRA without the use of contrast medium is an effective diagnostic technique, which is useful to clarify the spatial position of the anomalous course of the main coronary branches in order to suggest the most convenient management of the disease. CMRA does not need contrast medium, needles, and beta-blockers; is repeatable in the same examination without the exposure to X-rays; allows a parent to stay near the child; and needs low collaboration in low-stress conditions.

Anatomical variants and anomalies of the coronary tree studied with MDCT coronary angiography

Anomalies of the coronary arteries are congenital and in most of the cases asymptomatic, although they may present with severe symptoms such as angina pectoris or cardiac arrest. Multidetector CT coronary angiography (MDCT-CA) permits, through curved multiplanar reconstructions and three-dimensional reformatting, noninvasive visualisation of the coronary tree and its variants and anomalies, providing a more accurate alternative to conventional coronary angiography (CCA). The purpose of this pictorial essay is to describe the main variants and anomalies of the coronary arteries using MDCT imaging with multiplanar and three-dimensional reconstructions.

MDCT evaluation of the cardiac venous system

PURPOSE

This study was undertaken to evaluate the usefulness of electrocardiographically (ECG)-gated multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) for the assessment of the coronary venous system and detection of its anatomical variants, in order to identify those suitable for lead placement in cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively examined the coronary MDCT studies of 89 patients (73 males, 16 females, average age 62.5 years, range 31-79) referred for suspected coronary artery disease. The cardiac venous system was assessed in all patients using three-dimensional (3D) postprocessing on a dedicated Vitrea workstation (five patients were excluded from the analysis).

RESULTS

The coronary sinus, the great cardiac vein, the anterior interventricular vein and the middle cardiac vein were visualised in all cases. The lateral cardiac vein was visualised in 56/84 patients (67%) and the posterior cardiac vein in 63/84 patients (75%), never both missing. Along the postero-lateral wall of the left ventricle, only one branch was present in 44 cases, two branches in 21 cases and three or more branches in 19/84 cases (22%). Evaluation of the maximum diameter revealed that the lateral vein was dominant over the posterior vein in 20/40 cases. The small cardiac vein was visualised in 11/84 cases.

CONCLUSIONS

MDCT provides good depiction of the cardiac venous system, enabling the study of the vessel course and the identification of anatomical variants. Hence, this imaging technique could be proposed for the preoperative planning of CRT in selected patients.

Right coronary artery arising from pulmonary trunk: assessment with conventional coronary angiography and multislice computed tomography coronary angiography

We present a case of a 59-year-old man who was admitted to the hospital because of atypical chest pain and dyspnea. Conventional coronary angiography showed an anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary trunk. The patient underwent multislice computed tomography in order to clarify the origin and course of the anomalous vessel. The aim of this report is to emphasize the role of multislice computed tomography as an accurate noninvasive imaging tool in the evaluation of coronary artery anomalies.

Percutaneous coronary intervention in a single coronary artery originating from the right sinus of Valsalva

The origin of the left coronary artery (LCA) from the right sinus of Valsalva is a rare congenital anomaly that may be associated with myocardial infarction and sudden or exercise-related death. We report a rare case of a single coronary artery originating from the right coronary sinus and bifurcating into LCA and right coronary artery (RCA). The RCA was found to contain a significant flow-limiting lesion that was successfully treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. In this short report, we discuss the variations in anomalous LCA originating from the right coronary sinus and their clinical implications.

Spectrum of collateral findings in multislice CT coronary angiography

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of the noncardiac collateral findings during multislice computed tomography coronary angiography (MSCT-CA).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Six hundred and seventy patients undergoing MSCT-CA with 16-slice and 64-slice CT scanners for suspected atherosclerotic disease of the coronary arteries were retrospectively reviewed. All data sets obtained with a large field of view (FOV) were analysed by two radiologists using standard mediastinal and lung window settings. Collateral findings were divided according to clinical importance into nonsignificant, remarkable and compulsory to be investigated.

RESULTS

Eighty-five percent of patients revealed coronary artery disease (CAD). Only 138/670 (20.6%) were without any additional finding. An additional 1,234 findings were recorded: nonsignificant 332 (26.9%), mild 821 (66.53%), compulsory for study 81 (6.56%). A total of 81 patients (12.08%) had significant noncardiac pathology requiring clinical or radiological follow-up. Among these, newly discovered pathologies were revealed in two patients (2.46%).

CONCLUSIONS

A significant number of noncardiac findings might have been missed in MSCT-CA scans; the appropriate approach should be as a team trained in cardiology and radiology.

MDCT coronary angiography for diagnosis of anomalous origin right coronary artery: a case report

This is a case report of anomalous origin of the right coronary artery, which arises from the left sinus of Valsalva depicted with multi-detector row tomography (MDCT) coronary angiography performed in emergency. In symptomatic patient, this anomalous origin is considered a malignant anomaly and needs urgent surgical treatment. Some studies demonstrated that MDCT is a reliable non-invasive technique to identify and define anomalous coronary arteries (ACAs) and their course.