An anomalous origin of left coronary artery and sudden death in a soccer player: a case report

Coronary artery anomalies, after hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, are the second most common cause of exercise-related sudden cardiac deaths. These anomalies have been associated with myocardial ischaemia, arrhythmia and sudden death during exercise. Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva with anterior or posterior courses is not always thought to be a benign anomaly. A 22-year-old man died suddenly on a football field. At autopsy, there was an abnormal origin of the left coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva. The abnormal course of the artery between the aorta and pulmonary trunk had limited victim's functional capacity. The history, cause of death and patho-physiology are discussed, and some preventive strategies suggested.     

Coronary to pulmonary artery fistula associated with significant coronary atherosclerosis and severe aortic valve stenosis: A Case Report

Coronary artery fistulas are anomalous connections between one or two coronary arteries with either a cardiac chamber or any major blood vessels (coronary sinus, superior vena cava, pulmonary veins and pulmonary artery). It is rarely reported, occurring only in 0.1%-0.2% of patients who undergo coronary angiography. We report a very rare case where myocardial ischaemia may have resulted from the presence of coronary artery fistula, significant coronary artery stenosis and severe aortic valve stenosis. Transthoracic echocardiography showed severe aortic stenosis, while coronary angiography showed a tortuous coronary artery fistula originating from the proximal left anterior descending artery, with a single opening in the main pulmonary artery. Angiography also showed significant stenosis in the middle of the left anterior descending artery. Coronary artery fistula with concomitant significant coronary atherosclerosis and severe aortic stenosis requires optimal therapeutic planning.     

Coronary artery plaques and myocardial ischaemia

Objective  

To prospectively examine coronary artery plaques as predictors of myocardial ischaemia using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR).     

A comparison of the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias produced by two intravenous contrast media in coronary artery disease

The incidence of cardiac arrhythmias in patients with coronary artery disease receiving intravenous contrast medium has been studied and comparison made between a conventional ionic medium (meglumine iothalamate) and a low osmolar medium (sodium meglumine ioxaglate). Occasional ventricular and atrial ectopics were frequently observed both before and during administration of the contrast medium and were regarded as insignificant. Significant arrhythmias occurred in five cases. Three of these however, were in the presence of acute myocardial ischaemia or recent infarction. There was no significant difference in the incidence of arrhythmias between the two contrast media. These results show that, in the absence of acute myocardial ischaemia, the incidence of life threatening arrhythmias in patients with proven coronary artery disease receiving intravenous contrast media is much lower than previously suspected.     

Coronary artery motion during the cardiac cycle and optimal ECG triggering for coronary artery imaging

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Our purpose was to investigate the motion characteristics of the coronary arteries and determine optimal electrocardiographic (ECG) trigger time during the cardiac cycle to minimize motion artifacts. METHODS: Contrast-enhanced multislice movie studies of electron beam tomography (EBT) images were performed on 70 subjects. The EBT datasets, which covered an entire cardiac cycle at 58-ms intervals, were acquired for a short-axis view of the heart with ECG triggering. The pixel values along x and y axes were measured at multiple intervals during the cardiac cycle to establish the motion distance and velocity of three major coronary arteries. RESULTS: Coronary artery motion varied greatly throughout the cardiac cycle in three major coronary arteries and increased with the patient's baseline heart rate. The greatest and lowest velocities of coronary arterial movement during the cardiac cycle were determined. Based on the lowest velocity of right coronary artery movement during the cardiac cycle, the optimal ECG trigger times were located at approximately 35% (31.4%-37.6%) or 70% (68.7%-71.4%) of the R-R interval in patients whose resting heart rate was < or =70 beats per minute (bpm); at 50% (47.2%-61.1%) of the R-R interval in the 71- to 100-bpm group; and at 55% (52.8%-59.1%) of the R-R interval in the >100-bpm group. Our data demonstrated that the motion characteristics of the left circumflex artery were quite similar to those of the right coronary artery and that the left anterior descending coronary artery had no significant differences in motion throughout the cardiac cycle. A minimum scan speed of 35.4 to 75.5 ms per slice is needed to completely diminish cardiac motion artifacts (in-plane coronary artery motion with <1-mm displacement). CONCLUSIONS: For coronary artery screening, the optimal ECG trigger time should be determined according to the patient's heart rate, thus greatly reducing motion and motion artifacts during 100-ms acquisitions.     

Sudden cardiac death caused by a primary intimal sarcoma of the left coronary artery

Primary sarcoma of a muscular artery is extremely rare. A review of the literature revealed only one report of a sarcoma originating in a coronary artery. We report a case of fatal cardiac infarction caused by an intimal sarcoma originating in the left coronary artery which exhibited immunophenotypic features that were consistent with rhabdomyosarcomatous differentiation.     

左肺动脉吊带的MSCT诊断

目的：评价MSCT在左肺动脉吊带（LPAS）诊断中的应用价值。方法：回顾性分析7例经手术证实的LPAS的临床表现及MSCT特征。结果：7例LPAS术前MSCT均正确诊断,7例均合并心内、外畸形。MSCI、及后处理（MPR、MIP、MinIP、VR）示：7例中完全性LPAS6例,表现为左肺动脉自右主肺动脉发出,从右主支气管上方绕行并向后走行至气管和食管间达左肺门;部分性LPAS1例,表现为左上肺动脉起自右主肺动脉,从右主支气管上方穿过。向后走行于气管和食管之间并供血左肺上叶,而左下肺动脉起源和走行正常;7例均伴不同程度的气管和／或支气管狭窄。结论：MSCT不仅能显示LPAS及其合并心血管畸形,还能显示LPAS伴随气管、支气管狭窄,对制定外科手术方案具有重要临床价值。     

Diagnosis of atresia of the main left coronary artery using 320-detector volumetric cardiac computed tompography

The congenital absence of the left coronary trunk is one of the rarest anomalies of the coronary artery. We present a case in which this anomaly was suspected at cardiac catheterization and confirmed at volumetric cardiac computed tomography (CT) with a single heart beat.     

Role of single photon wall motion and perfusion studies in the evaluation of patients with suspected coronary artery disease

Cardiovascular nuclear medicine procedures are useful to characterize coronary artery disease by measuring changes in perfusion, myocardial metabolism, cellular integrity, and regional or global function. Coronary angiography, while an excellent indicator of anatomic changes in arterial lumenal diameter, is a poor predictor of downstream perfusion, since neither the length of the stenosis nor absolute lumenal diameter is considered. Even if the anatomy is known, perfusion measurements provide information about ischaemia and ventricular dysfunction that is helpful for planning therapy. New technetium 99m-labelled perfusion agents are likely to improve the certainty of diagnosis due to their higher photon flux. The development of techniques for continuous ventricular function monitoring during daily activities provides an opportunity for detecting the impact of silent ischaemia on cardiac function. The role of the radionuclide imaging procedures in classifying patients with coronary disease is discussed in light of the pathophysiology of ischaemia and necrosis.     

Role of single photon wall motion and perfusion studies in the evaluation of patients with suspected coronary artery disease

Cardiovascular nuclear medicine procedures are useful to characterize coronary artery disease by measuring changes in perfusion, myocardial metabolism, cellular integrity, and regional or global function. Coronary angiography, while an excellent indicator of anatomic changes in arterial lumenal diameter, is a poor predictor of downstream perfusion, since neither the length of the stenosis nor absolute lumenal diameter is considered. Even if the anatomy is known, perfusion measurements provide information about ischaemia and ventricular dysfunction that is helpful for planning therapy. New technetium 99m-labelled perfusion agents are likely to improve the certainty of diagnosis due to their higher photon flux. The development of techniques for continuous ventricular function monitoring during daily activities provides an opportunity for detecting the impact of silent ischaemia on cardiac function. The role of the radionuclide imaging procedures in classifying patients with coronary disease is discussed in light of the pathophysiology of ischaemia and necrosis.     

动脉内流-固耦合作用下两相血流动力学数值模拟

目的 研究流-固耦合作用下左冠状动脉内一个心动周期典型时点两相血流动力学分布及红细胞分布,探索左冠状动脉粥样斑块形成与发展机制.方法 将血液视为两相流体,基于血液与血管壁间流-固耦合作用,采用计算流体力学方法对左冠状动脉内两相血流进行瞬态数值模拟,研究一个心动周期内典型时点左冠状动脉内血流分布特性,血流动力学特性参数与动脉粥样斑块形成的相互作用关系.结果 左冠状动脉回旋支远段和钝缘支近心端外侧存在低速涡流区,该区域内壁面切应力和红细胞体积分数均较小,血流流态复杂.结论 壁面切应力较小的低速涡流区易产生脂质浓度极化、大分子物质沉积,红细胞较少区域易发生缺氧,引起血管壁通透性增加和内膜损伤,激活免疫系统,导致血管壁物质累积和内膜生长,从而易诱发动脉粥样硬化斑块形成.     

Traumatic variation of popliteal artery entrapment syndrome

Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome is a well recognised sequelae of anatomical variation in the origin of the medial head of gastrocnemius. It classically presents with distal ischaemia from progressive intimal fibrosis and eventual thrombosis. We present a unique case of acute lower limb ischaemia precipitated by trauma in a young man with undiagnosed popliteal artery entrapment. In this case sudden stress of the lower limb resulted in tearing of the tunica intima of the entrapped artery and exposure of the subendothelium with subsequent thrombus, distal embolisation and acute ischaemia. Successful limb salvage was achieved through endovascular thrombolysis and arterial reconstruction.     

Endovascular treatment of splenic artery aneurysms

PURPOSE: To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of endovascular treatment of splenic artery aneurysms (SAAs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between May 2000 and June 2003 we treated 11 true SAAs in 9 patients (7 females and 2 males; mean age 58 years), 8 saccular and 3 fusiform, 4 located at the middle tract of the splenic artery, 5 at the distal tract and 2 intra-parenchymal. The diagnosis was performed with colour-Doppler ultrasound and/or CT-angiography; 7 patients were symptomless, 1 had left hypochondriac pain, and 1 had acute abdomen caused by a ruptured SAA. Four SAAs were treated by microcoil embolization of the aneurysmal sac with preservation of splenic artery patency; in 2 cases this was associated with transcatheter injection of N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate. Four cases were treated by endovascular ligature, with sectoral spleen ischaemia. One ruptured SAA received emergency treatment with splenic artery cyanoacrylate embolization. Two intra-parenchymal SAAs were excluded, one by cyanoacrylate embolization of the afferent artery and the other by transcatheter thrombin injection in the aneurysmal sac. RESULTS: Technical success was observed in all cases (in 10/11 at the end of the procedure; in 1/11 at CT performed 3 days after the procedure). The follow-up (mean 18 months; range 6-36) was performed by colour-Doppler ultrasound and/or CT-angiography 3, 6 and 12 months after the procedure and subsequently once a year; the complete exclusion of the aneurysms was confirmed in 11/11 cases. The complications were: 4 cases of mild left pleuritis; fever and left hypochondriac pain 1 day after the procedure (in the same 4 patients and in one other case); 5 cases of sectoral spleen ischaemia and 1 case of diffuse spleen infarction with partial revascularization by collateral vessels. No alteration of the levels of pancreatic enzymes was found; a transitory increase in platelet count occurred only in the patient with diffuse spleen infarction. CONCLUSIONS: Using different techniques, endovascular treatment is feasible in nearly all SAAs. It ensures good immediate and long term results, and no doubt presents some advantages in comparison to surgical treatment, as it is less invasive and allows the preservation of splenic function.     

The additive values of left ventricular function and extent of myocardium at risk to dipyridamole perfusion imaging for optimal risk stratification prior to vascular surgery.

Although the increased risk of cardiac complications in surgical patients with diminished left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is well-established, this method has been supplanted in recent years by assessment of ischaemic burden using myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). This study was conducted to determine if MPI and LVEF determination provide complementary or redundant information in preoperative evaluation of vascular surgery patients. A total of 101 patients were studied with dipyridamole MPI and radionuclide ventriculography before surgery. Single photon emission tomographic MPI images were scored for defect severity and categorized as either fixed or reflecting ischaemia. Resting left ventricular cavity was also categorized as normal or dilated. LVEF was subdivided into normal (> or = 50%) and abnormal (< 50%). Seventeen patients had cardiac events. Events were more frequent in patients with ischaemia, in patients with a LVEF < 50% and in those with dilated left ventricular chambers. The mean number of ischaemic segments was also higher in the cardiac event group. Higher event rates were seen when a combination of these factors was present. A history of myocardial infarct, congestive heart failure or coronary artery disease was also a significant predictor of subsequent events. Thus, both abnormal left ventricular function and extent of ischaemic myocardium have independent and complementary predictive power for cardiac events in vascular surgery patients.     

Situs inversus with congenital absence of left circumflex artery and a superdominant left-sided right coronary artery: A case report

Situs inversus with a coronary artery defect is an extremely rare congenital anomaly, which is often only incidentally detected during cardiac imaging studies, particularly when the patient is complaining of chest pain. We present a case study of a 37-year-old man who presented with a 3-month history of chest pain. A chest X-ray revealed dextrocardia with stomach gas in the lower right diaphragm. A CT examination showed that the right lung had 2 lobes, and the left lung had 3 lobes. This confirmed that the patient had dextrocardia with situs inversus, where the heart, organs and coronary arteries are inverted to the opposite side of the body. It is also known as a mirroring image, as the arrangement of the anatomy is unaffected. The patient''s right coronary artery was prominently inversed to the left side, while the left main coronary artery was inversed to the right side and continued toward the anterior interventricular sulcus, eventually becoming the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. The left circumflex artery was absent in the atrioventricular groove. There was also a plaque in the right-sided LAD with no significant stenosis. The patient received conservative medical therapy and had frequent follow-ups to check for potential complications.     

The significance of the abnormal rest Thallium-201 myocardial image in coronary artery disease

Rest Thallium-201 myocardial images were abnormal in 20 out of 40 patients with arteriographically proven coronary artery disease. The myocardial image appearances did not accurately reflect the extent of coronary artery disease present. However, in 35 of the 40 patients (88%) the presence or absence of abnormalities on the rest myocardial image correleted respectively with the presence or absence of abnormal wall motion at left ventriculography. Most rest image abnormalities could be attributed to previous myocardial infarction, but in six patients myocardial ischaemia was possibly the cause. These results suggest that though myocardial fibrosis is usually the cause of rest myocardial image abnormalities in coronary artery disease, this is not invariably so. The possible therapeutic implications are discussed.     

The significance of the abnormal rest thallium-201 myocardial image in coronary artery disease.

Rest Thallium-201 myocardial images were abnormal in 20 out of 40 patients with arteriographically proven coronary artery disease. The myocardial image appearances did not accurately reflect the extent of coronary artery disease present. However, in 35 of the 40 patients (88%) the presence or absence of abnormalities on the rest myocardial image correleted respectively with the presence or absence of abnormal wall motion at left ventriculography. Most rest image abnormalities could be attributed to previous myocardial infarction, but in six patients myocardial ischaemia was possibly the cause. These results suggest that though myocardial fibrosis is usually the cause of rest myocardial image abnormalities in coronary artery disease, this is not invariably so. The possible therapeutic implications are discussed.     

无症状人群冠状动脉CTA影像分析

目的:对无症状人群冠状动脉CTA影像进行分析,观察冠状动脉病变在无症状人群中的发生情况。方法:对60例科技人员进行128层CTA检查,扫描时心率控制在70次/分以下,由两位副主任医师共同评价图像质量,每例患者观察6支主要冠脉分支。结果:60例中共发现29支血管变异,其中1支为冠脉起源异常,28支为心肌桥,心肌桥以左冠脉前降支发生率最高,为33.33%(20/60);共发现52支血管内斑块形成,以左冠前降支发生率最高,占51.90%(27/52),软斑块和混合斑块分别为32(32/52)和13支(13/52);管腔轻、中度狭窄也以左冠前降支最多见,分别占40.00%(24/60)和5.00%(3/60)。结论:冠状动脉CTA在无症状人群(科技人群)检查中意义重大,可以作为有效的冠状动脉病变筛查工具以及选择治疗方案的重要参考。     

Superior mesenteric artery stenting for mesenteric ischaemia in Sneddon's syndrome

Mesenteric ischaemia is a rare but serious cause of abdominal pain. We present the case of a man with Sneddon's syndrome, who had symptomatic mesenteric ischaemia secondary to a superior mesenteric artery stenosis in conjunction with a hepatic artery stenosis. As far as the authors are aware, this has not previously been described in Sneddon's syndrome, which is a vascular systemic disease characterized by an association between cerebrovascular accidents and a livedo reticularis skin rash. He was treated with balloon angioplasty and stent insertion, with good symptomatic improvement. This has implications for other stenoses in this condition should they become symptomatic.     

肺动脉吊带的彩色多普勒超声心动图诊断

目的:探讨彩色多普勒超声心动图对肺动脉吊带的诊断价值。方法:经心导管及手术证实为肺动脉吊带的6例患者为研究对象,回顾性分析其超声心动图表现。结果:6例肺动脉吊带患者中,超声诊断3例,诊断正确率50%;漏诊3例,漏诊率50%。6例肺动脉吊带患者中,2例合并四联症,2例合并房间隔缺损,1例合并室间隔缺损,1例合并左心发育不育综合症。结论:肺动脉吊带是极为少见的先天性心脏病,常规超声心动图检查时,在正常左肺动脉起源处若未发现左肺动脉,提示可能存在肺动脉吊带。