彩色多普勒超声诊断冠状动脉-心腔瘘的图像特征分析

目的 探讨彩色多普勒超声诊断冠状动脉－心腔瘘的图像特征。方法 应用彩色多普勒超声的二维图像,多普勒频谱和彩色显像对10例冠状动脉心腔瘘的多种解剖异常进行观察。结果 彩色多普勒诊断的共同特征是：冠状动脉局部扩张,其中7例为右冠状动脉增宽,1例为左冠状动脉主干增宽,2例为左冠状动脉回旋支增宽;心腔内出现异常相对高速度血流,为瘘管血流入心腔所造成,其中漏入左室6例,入右 2例,入右室流出道1例,入冠状静脉1例;右安然无恙太动脉瘘管常沿右房室交界纡曲走行,左冠状动脉瘘管常沿左房室交界走行,局部可见瘘管的断面,介绍2例合并较大动脉瘤的超声图像。结论 彩色多普勒超声诊断冠状动脉－心腔瘘具有很好的直观性和实用性。     

Doppler Echocardiographic Features of Coronary Artery Fistula: Report of 8 Cases

Coronary artery fistula is a rare congenital anomaly in which the involved coronary artery empties into a cardiac chamber, pulmonary artery, or other structure. Its diagnosis can be made noninvasively by finding a dilated coronary artery by 2-dimensional (2D) echocardiography, and its drainage can be detected by color flow mapping. We describe features of coronary artery fistulas in 8 patients whose condition was prospectively diagnosed by Doppler echocardiography with color flow mapping. The right coronary artery was involved in 4 cases and the left coronary artery in 4. Four fistulas drained to the right ventricle, 2 to the right atrium, and 2 to the pulmonary artery. In 1 patient who had left and right coronary fistulas to the pulmonary artery, only the first was diagnosed noninvasively. The diagnosis of coronary fistulas can usually be made by 2D echocardiography with color flow mapping. However, fistulas to the pulmonary artery may be more difficult to detect by 2D echocardiography because the coronary artery may be of normal size and the shunt small. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 1999;12:149-54.)     

Doppler color flow imaging in detection and mapping of left coronary artery fistula to right ventricle and atrium

Two patients who had left coronary artery fistulas that drained into the right ventricle (case 1) and right atrium (case 2) were studied with combined two-dimensional echocardiography and Doppler color flow imaging. The origin of the fistulas from the left coronary artery, their course, and drainage sites were readily identified. These cases illustrate the enhanced identification of left coronary artery fistulas and the drainage sites with the addition of Doppler color flow imaging to two-dimensional echocardiography.     

Echocardiographic Diagnosis of a Right Coronary Artery-Coronary Sinus Fistula

In this case report, we describe a 67-year-old woman with right coronary artery-coronary sinus fistula. This woman had complaints of chest pain. Ischemic ECG changes and a ventricular tachycardia were detected on her electrocardiogram. Transthoracic echocardiography showed a large right coronary artery and a dilated coronary sinus. Drainage of the coronary artery to the coronary sinus was detected by colour flow mapping during transesophageal echocardiographic examination, and a 94 mmHg peak gradient was recorded by continuous wave Doppler at the drainage site. These findings were confirmed by cardiac catheterization. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography can provide definitive confirmation of the right coronary artery-coronary sinus fistula, and can be the diagnostic procedure of choice when this anomaly is suspected.     

冠状动脉瘘的超声诊断与临床对照分析

目的 进一步探讨超声心动图诊断冠状动脉瘘的价值。方法 对18例冠状动脉瘘患者的超声心动图表现与手术所见进行对比分析。结果 18例冠状动脉瘘有17例首先由超声诊断，采用彩色多普勒血流显像诊断的6例右冠状动脉瘘和4例左冠状动脉瘘的诊断符合率为100%，8例单发瘘的诊断符合率为100%，2例多发瘘病例，手术前未提示多个瘘口，5例左室瘘的二维超声心动图显示瘘口特征非常清楚。10例右室瘘和3例右房瘘超声虽然提示了瘘入腔室，但有6例未提示具体引流部位。结论 研究冠状动脉瘘的具体引流部位和多发瘘是超声工作者需要进一步做的工作。     

Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the left sinus of valsalva: transthoracic echocardiographic diagnosis.

Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the left sinus of Valsalva is a rare congenital defect that can be difficult to diagnose by echocardiography. We describe an infant with a ventricular septal defect that was diagnosed prospectively by transthoracic echocardiography as an anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the left sinus of Valsalva. Subcostal imaging and Doppler color flow mapping were instrumental in the echocardiographic diagnosis of this unusual coronary abnormality.     

Assessment of transmural coronary blood flow with intraoperative transesophageal color Doppler echocardiography during coronary revascularization.

Intraoperative color Doppler transesophageal echocardiography with a 4- to 7-MHz transducer was performed on 28 consecutive patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting to image and evaluate the transmural coronary blood flow before and after cardiopulmonary bypass. The transmural coronary flow was visualized in 26 (92.8%) of 28 patients in the inferior wall and in 13 (46.4%) of 28 patients in the lateral wall. The peak diastolic flow velocity of the transmural coronary artery in the inferior and lateral wall was significantly increased after coronary revascularization in patients with a successful bypass graft to the right coronary artery (from 34.0 +/- 19.7 to 64.9 +/- 30.9 cm/s, P <.001, n = 10) and to the left circumflex coronary artery (from 35.1 +/- 18.6 to 62.1 +/- 21.1 cm/s, P <.001, n = 10). No significant changes were observed in patients with no bypass graft to the right or left circumflex coronary artery. Coronary blood flow can be mapped and the velocity measured with Doppler transesophageal echocardiography with a high-frequency (4- to 7-MHz) transducer. Assessment of the transmural coronary flow may provide valuable information and aid in decision making during surgical revascularization.     

Successful surgical repair of a giant left main coronary artery aneurysm with arteriovenous fistula draining into a persistent left superior vena cava and coronary sinus: role of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography

We report the case of a 74-year-old woman with a history of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and pacemaker who presented to the hospital with new onset New York Heart Association class IV congestive heart failure. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a markedly dilated right ventricle with normal right ventricular systolic function. There was moderate pulmonary hypertension with an estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure of 60 mm Hg. Her echocardiogram 1 year earlier had demonstrated normal right ventricular size and systolic function, and no pulmonary hypertension. Additional transthoracic imaging with saline contrast study through a left peripheral vein demonstrated the presence of a dilated coronary sinus with a persistent left superior vena cava. Color Doppler demonstrated turbulent flow within the coronary sinus with evidence of significant left-to-right shunting. Cardiac catheterization revealed a massively dilated left main coronary artery aneurysm with an arteriovenous fistula into the left superior vena cava and coronary sinus. The calculated Qp/Qs was 2:1. The patient underwent 2 unsuccessful attempts at percutaneous intervention to occlude the arteriovenous fistula. She then underwent successful surgical closure of the coronary arteriovenous fistula. The important role of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography in guiding this technically challenging surgical case is discussed.     

经食道心脏超声检测冠状动脉结构及血流速度60例报告

经食道心脏超声对60例患者检测冠状动脉。二维超声冠状动脉显像率为左冠状动脉主干95%,左前降支50%,左旋支37%和右冠状动脉82%。本组左冠状动脉近段直径显著大于右冠状动脉。冠状动脉记录到舒张期多普勒血流频谱者依次为91%、40%、27%和33%,少数冠脉亦可显示收缩期血流频谱。检测的冠状动脉血流速度峰值范围为0.20~0.72m/s。经食道心脏超声为冠状动脉近段解剖学和功能学的非创伤性诊断措施之一,具有潜在的临床实用价值。     

Transesophageal echocardiographic recognition of a fistula between a coronary artery and the left atrium.

A 58-year-old woman with a prosthetic mitral valve and an anomalous single coronary artery received transesophageal echocardiography and was found to have a coronary artery--to--left atrium fistula. Because of its superior imaging quality, transesophageal color Doppler method is a useful diagnostic procedure.     

Coronary anomalies diagnosed with transesophageal echocardiography: complementary clinical value in adults

Introduction. Coronary arteriography remains a gold standard for the evaluation of coronary anatomy. In the case of anatomical anomalies, understanding of vessel course based upon a coronary angiogram may be difficult. Transesophageal echocardiography is a noninvasive method allowing tomographic visualization of proximal coronary arteries. Experience concerning its usefulness for the assessment of anomalous coronary arteries is limited. Material. Eleven patients with confirmed coronary anomalies studied between 1993-96 were identified in the cohort of those undergoing transesophageal echocardiography. Results. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed potentially serious anomalies (origin of left or right coronary artery from contralateral aortic sinus) in 3 patients and benign in 8. Coronary ostia and proximal course could be delineated in all patients. Anatomical information was consistent between methods, except for a separate origin of the left anterior descending and circumflex artery, where the angiogram missed a very short common left main coronary artery in 2 patients. The relationship between the coronary arteries, aorta and pulmonary trunk was better defined by the echocardiogram. Doppler flow analysis allowed us to exclude anomaly-related flow disturbances. Conclusions. Transesophageal echocardiography can be considered as a noninvasive technique with the potential for anatomical and functional evaluation of anomalous proximal coronary arteries and deserves a routine use whenever such a condition is suspected. This approach may simplify invasive procedures in this patient group.     

经食管超声心动图对窦性心律时右心耳血流频谱的研究

目的　应用经食管超声心动图技术 (TEE)观察窦性心律时右心耳结构、功能和血流频谱的特点。方法　选取 2 6例窦性心律患者 ,常规超声资料的留取后 ,采用经食管超声心动图技术 ,清楚显示右心耳图像并采集血流频谱。结果　窦性心律时右心耳血流频谱形态可分为 4相、 3相和 2相波 ,在获取的 2 6例图像中 ,右心耳血流频谱为 4相波者有 6例(2 3% ) ,为 3相波者有 12例 (4 6 % ) ,为 2相波者有 8例 (31% )。结论　窦性心律时右心耳血流频谱是反映右心房和右心耳功能的良好指标     

Prenatal diagnosis of bilateral ventriculocoronary fistulas with hypoplasia of the left ventricle.

Fetal echocardiography and color Doppler sonography have shown that most heart defects can be reliably diagnosed in utero by associated hemodynamic changes. Congenital ventriculocoronary fistulas associated with hypoplastic right heart syndrome (HRHS) and hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) have been described in the prenatal and neonatal periods, but little attention has been paid to their incidence and hemodynamic changes. There have been only a few reports of prenatal diagnosis of ventriculocoronary communications in HRHS and HLHS. Here we report prenatal diagnosis of HLHS and fistulas between the left ventricle and both the right and left coronary arteries to the pulmonary artery with a muscular ventricular septal defect (VSD) in a fetus at 23 weeks' gestation.     

Visualization of coronary artery fistula with transesophageal echocardiography.

Coronary artery fistulas are relatively uncommon and are usually initially suspected on auscultation of a continuous murmur. Long-term complications include congestive heart failure, endocarditis, ischemia, and atrial arrhythmias. The role of echocardiography in visualization and diagnosis of these fistulas is expanding. We report two cases in which transesophageal echocardiography was used to visualize and better define proximal coronary arteries and coronary artery fistulas.     

Asymptomatic dissection of the ascending aorta: diagnosis by transesophageal echocardiography

A young man with marfanoid habitus underwent transesophageal echocardiography to evaluate an aortic root abnormality visualized on transthoracic echocardiography. Transesophageal echo demonstrated a type A aortic dissection traversing across the right sinus of Valsalva but not involving the aortic valve, right coronary artery, or pericardial sac. The aorta was not dilated. This is apparently the first reported case of an asymptomatic and uncomplicated aortic dissection localized to the sinus of Valsalva.     

Localization of a coronary artery fistula using contrast transesophageal echocardiography.

With the increasing use of transesophageal and other cardiac imaging, coronary fistulas are being discovered more often. The clinical significance of these communications is unclear. Microbubble echo-contrast has been used to enhance endocardial definition, myocardial perfusion, and augment Doppler signals. This case describes the use of microbubbles to enhance the color Doppler signals to better define location and extent of a coronary artery fistula communicating with the left ventricle.     

Echocardiographic characterization of a rare type of coronary artery fistula draining into superior vena cava.

We describe an incidental finding of a rare type of anomalous coronary artery originating from the right coronary sinus of Valsalva and draining into the superior vena cava. This was suspected on transthoracic echocardiography but was further clarified with the use of coronary angiography and transesophageal echocardiography. Echocardiography was a major tool for delineating the origin of the fistula, its complicated course, and the drainage site.     

彩色多普勒超声心动图诊断冠状动脉起源异常的价值

目的　探讨彩色多普勒超声心动图在诊断冠状动脉起源异常中的价值。方法　应用彩色多普勒超声心动图对 6例患者进行检查 ,观察左、右冠状动脉主干的起源部位、走行、血流方向 ,测量冠状动脉主干内径、左室射血分数 (LVEF) ,观察合并的其他心血管畸形及瓣膜反流情况 ,并与冠状动脉造影、手术结果进行对比。结果　 4例左冠状动脉主干起源于肺动脉 ,1例左前降支起源于肺动脉 ,1例副冠状动脉起源于肺动脉。主要合并的心血管畸形有室间隔缺损、房间隔缺损、完全性心内膜垫缺损等。超声心动图诊断结果与冠状动脉造影及手术探查结果完全符合。超声心动图测量的左、右冠状动脉内径和LVEF与冠状动脉造影测值间高度相关(r分别为 0 .94、0 .96、0 .89,均 P <0 .0 1) ,两种方法测值间差异无显著性意义 (P >0 .0 5 )。结论　彩色多普勒超声心动图可明确诊断冠状动脉起源异常 ,为手术治疗提供可靠依据     

Two-dimensional and Doppler transesophageal echocardiographic delineation and flow characterization of anomalous coronary arteries in adults.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the use of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in the identification and flow characterization of congenital coronary anomalies. BACKGROUND: Congenital coronary anomalies in adults are rare but may cause serious cardiac complications. The use of TEE in evaluation of this entity has not been well defined. Very little is known regarding flow patterns in anomalous coronaries assessed by Doppler TEE. METHODS: A total of 32 consecutive adult patients were studied using TEE to define the origin, course, and proximal flow pattern of suspected coronary anomalies. RESULTS: Coronary anomalies identified using TEE included anomalous origin from the pulmonary trunk (n = 2), right sinus (n = 18), left sinus (n = 9), single coronary (n = 2), and left main coronary fistula (n = 1). Multiplane TEE performed in 20 cases simplified the delineation of more complex coronary anomalies. The origin was identified in all patients, proximal course delineated in 31, and proximal flow pattern characterized by pulsed Doppler in 23 of 32 patients. In 16 anomalous left main, left anterior descending, or left circumflex coronary arteries, an abnormal systolic flow pattern (ie, systolic/diastolic time-velocity integral ratio >1) occurred exclusively (P <.001) when the anomalous artery had an intermediate (100%; 5/5) versus anterior or posterior course (0%; 0/11) relative to the aortic and pulmonary artery trunks. A systolic flow pattern was also evident in 4 (80%) of 5 patients with an anomalous right coronary artery with an intermediate course. CONCLUSIONS: TEE, particularly with a multiplane probe, has an important complementary role to coronary angiography in delineating the proximal course and pattern of flow in anomalous coronaries. Predominant systolic flow pattern in anatomically left proximal anomalous coronaries signifies an intermediate course between the aorta and the pulmonary trunk and may be clinically useful for risk stratification.     

Three-dimensional color Doppler echocardiography for assessing shunt volume in atrial septal defects.

Background Three-dimensional color Doppler echocardiography has been used to assess cardiac blood flow in experimental settings. We tested whether this technique can be applied to assess transatrial shunt flow in patients with atrial septal defect in a clinical setting. Methods In 46 consecutive patients with atrial septal defects, shunt flow was assessed during cardiac catheterization using the Fick method and by conventional 2-D quantitative transesophageal Doppler echocardiography. The averaged values for shunt flow obtained by both methods were used as a reference. Transesophageal 3-D color Doppler echocardiography was performed for analysis of the 3-D flow velocity field of transatrial shunt flow. Shunt volume was calculated by application of the Gauss theorem. Results We found a close correlation between shunt volume (L/min) obtained by either 3-D color Doppler echocardiography or the reference methods ( r = 0.981, P < .001). Using 3-D color Doppler data to predict the reference values, 95% confidence limits were -11.5 to +11.6%. Conclusions Shunt flow in patients with atrial septal defects can be assessed in a clinical setting by transesophageal 3-D color Doppler echocardiography.