title: Coronary arteries in crisscross heart.
abstract: Crisscross heart, or superoinferior ventricles, is a complex and often confusing congenital anomaly. We report a heretofore unreported presentation of "isolated" crisscross heart in situs inversus levocardia, which allows us to more clearly define the typical features of crisscross ventricles. The case of this 41-year-old woman, who had a peculiar coronary anatomy, underscores the concept that coronary artery anatomy is strictly related to the myocardial mass served. In complex congenital heart defects, development of an anterior descending artery is possible (as a primary artery, along with the circumflex and right coronary arteries) only if the ventricular septum develops properly and is aligned with the semilunar valves. We use the present case of crisscross heart to illustrate the spectrum of anomalies that can occur during formation of the cardiac apex; this spectrum ranges from a normal apex, to a diverted apex (as in dextroversion in situs solitus), to a crisscross anomaly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Adult Cardiology, Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. pangelinimd@houston.rr.com
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Angelini
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lufschanowski
authors.forename: Margit A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nemeth
authors.forename: Scott D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Flamm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003330:Coronary Vessel Anomalies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003420:Crisscross Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011859:Radiography