title: What is the feasibility of imaging coronary arteries during routine echocardiograms in children?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abnormalities of coronary artery (CA) origins may be associated with sudden death. No data exist regarding the feasibility of routine echocardiographic imaging of CA in pediatrics.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to determine the feasibility of imaging CA origins during routine echocardiograms.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred randomly selected children without clinical evidence of heart disease were studied. The mean age was 13.8 +/- 6.4 years. Location of CA origins were tallied with clock-face reference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The left CA origin was imaged in 98% with the origin most commonly at 3:30 o'clock. The right CA origin was imaged in 95% with the origin most commonly at 11 o'clock. Four abnormalities of CA were discovered: right CA origin from the left coronary sinus n = 2, circumflex from right CA origin n = 1, and small left CA origin to pulmonary artery fistula n = 1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that imaging of CA origins during routine pediatric echocardiograms is feasible with a potentially life-saving result.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center and University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, USA.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clouse
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cailes
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Devine
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lester
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Maully
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wenger
authors.forename: J Geoffrey
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Stevenson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007223:Infant; D007229:Infant Welfare; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values