Open AccessLevoatrial cardinal vein with normal left ventricle: A forgotten cause of pulmonary arterial hypertension
Author(s) -
Onkar B Auti,
Varun Shetty,
Vinay Belaval,
Vimal Raj
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
indian journal of radiology and imaging - new series/indian journal of radiology and imaging/indian journal of radiology and imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 0971-3026
pISSN - 0970-2016
DOI - 10.4103/ijri.ijri_313_16
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiology , ventricle , intracardiac injection , pulmonary hypertension , persistent left superior vena cava , splanchnic circulation , left atrium , surgery , hemodynamics , splanchnic , atrial fibrillation , coronary sinus
Levoatrial cardinal vein (LACV) is anomalous connection between left atrium or pulmonary veins and systemic veins such as innominate vein or superior vena cava. This persistence of splanchnic circulation occurs when there is left-sided obstructive cardiac lesions such as hypoplastic left heart or mitral atresia. In this report we present three cases of LACV with well-developed left heart, without any obstructive lesions. All our cases presented with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and had associated intracardiac shunt such as ventricular/atrial septal defect and supracardiac partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection. Apart from the above shunts, LACV contributed to PAH in these cases. It is important to detect and report LACV as this may require surgical correction along with other defects. If LACV goes undetected during imaging workup, it may cause persistent PAH postoperatively.