Open AccessUse of transesophageal echocardiography to visualize an anomalous right coronary artery arising from the left main coronary artery (single coronary artery)
Author(s) -
Henson Kenneth D.,
Geiser Edward A.,
Billett Jeanette,
Alexander James A.,
Akins E. William,
Bopitiya Chandana
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
clinical cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.263
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1932-8737
pISSN - 0160-9289
DOI - 10.1002/clc.4960150615
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiology , left coronary artery , artery , right coronary artery , coronary artery disease , coronary angiography , myocardial infarction
This case report demonstrates a role for transesophageal echocardiography in defining the course of anomalous coronary arteries. Origin of the right coronary artery (RCA) from the left main (LM) (single coronary artery) is an exceedingly rare congenital anomaly. It is not always benign and may result in myocardial infarction. This may be due to compression between the aorta and the pulmonary artery. Transesophageal echocardiography offers a low‐risk, noninvasive means of imaging the proximal coronary arteries. In the majority of patients, the proximal segments of the three major coronaries can be clearly visualized. With the addition of color flow, it is possible to visualize flow in most patients. Proximal obstructive lesions can be seen in some patients although sensitivity thus far seems low.