title: Indirect radiographic and angiographic signs of isolated left superior vena cava in congenital heart disease.
abstract: Blood that drains into the right atrium through an isolated left superior vena cava (LSVC) can be a complicating condition during cardiac surgery. In cases of LSVC, a double shadow can be present on standard chest X-ray over the left mediastinum. A notch along the lower contour of left atrium has been previously reported by Owen et al. in 4 cases as an indirect sign of this LSVC anomaly. These two indirect signs were evaluated in 135 (4.5%) cases of LSVC, viewing 89 chest radiographs and 40 angiograms. Their incidence, separately (17-45%) or in combination (9-20%), was observed to be frequent enough to justify a systematic search of these signs in open-heart surgery candidates.
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D011300:Preoperative Care; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging