title: Dilated coronary sinus in a dog with persistent left cranial vena cava.
abstract: This paper describes the electrocardiographic, echocardiographic (two-dimensional, M-mode, contrast and Doppler) and non-selective angiocardiographic features in a 3 year old female Beagle with dilated coronary sinus due to persistent left cranial vena cava. Negative P waves in leads III and aVR and a positive P wave in lead aVL were seen. Echocardiographically, a hypoechoic circular structure was seen between the left atrium and the pericardium in the area where the coronary sinus is located. A velocity pattern with two peaks was obtained, one systolic with velocity = 0.44 +/- 0.05 m/sec and the other diastolic with velocity = 0.27 +/- 0.01 m/sec. By M-mode echocardiography, at level of the aorta and the left atrium, a linear structure was identified between the left atrium and the pericardium; this structure was characterized by phasic movements of the anterior wall during the cardiac cycle. Following a left cephalic vein injection of saline, bubbles were seen within the coronary sinus; when saline was injected into the right cephalic vein, bubbles were also seen within the coronary sinus and right atrium and ventricle. Non-selective angiocardiography confirmed a dilated coronary sinus with persistent left cranial vena cava. The right cranial vena cava was absent. The dog was clinically normal and the unusual vessel was an incidental finding.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patología Animal, Universidad de Murcia, España.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Fernandez del Palacio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bayon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agut
mesh_terms: D000790:Angiocardiography / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003330:Coronary Vessel Anomalies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004285:Dogs; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging