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Misdiagnosis of Aorta‐Right Atrial Tunnel
Author(s) -
Hu Bo,
Zhou Qing,
Guo Ruiqiang
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
echocardiography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1540-8175
pISSN - 0742-2822
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8175.2011.01547.x
Subject(s) - coronary sinus , superior vena cava , medicine , cardiology , aorta , right atrium , left atrium , atrium (architecture) , aortic root , atrial fibrillation
First reported by Coto in 1980, aorta‐right atrial tunnel (ARAT) is a rare congenital vascular connection between the aortic root and RA. The case report presents a 38‐year‐old male patient with ARAT. Echocardiography showed a tunnel‐like structure which appeared to be a connection between the left coronary sinus and the left atrium although the tunnel was connected to the right atrium. The misdiagnosis may be explained that the images were overlaid and abnormal color flow signal was not detected in RA because of the failure to detect color flow spectrum at the outlet of superior vena cava (SVC). We have discussed the diagnostic experience of the rare congenital cardiac anomaly in echocardiography: (1) carefully detect the origin and termination of abnormal tunnel structure; (2) the outlet of SVC into RA should be detected for possible artery flow spectrum and color flow signal into RA; (3) transesophageal echocardiography should be performed for identifying the diagnosis of ARAT if it is necessary. (Echocardiography 2012;29:E43‐E44)