title: Diagnosis of anomalous origin of the right coronary artery using multislice computed tomography: evaluation of possible causes of myocardial ischemia.
abstract: Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery (RCA) is a rare condition, but may cause myocardial ischemia and sudden death. Multislice computed tomography, which allows three-dimensional visualization of the coronary artery with high spatial resolution, may be the most promising imaging modality for diagnosing this anomaly. We describe a patient with anomalous origin of the RCA arising from the left sinus of Valsalva. Volume rendering, and axial and curved multiplanar images showed stenosis in the proximal portion of the RCA that coursed between the aorta and the pulmonary artery, and an acute angled take-off of the RCA from the aorta. Three-dimensional virtual angioscopic images showed a hypoplastic RCA orifice and luminal narrowing in the proximal portion of the RCA. Multislice computed tomography was thought to be useful for detecting anomalous origin of the RCA and for evaluating possible causes of myocardial ischemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 1-8-13 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8309, Japan. yuichis@med.nihon-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Taeko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kunimasa
authors.forename: Naoya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Shunichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoda
authors.forename: Shigemasa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tani
authors.forename: Tadateru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.forename: Takahisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Furuhashi
authors.forename: Motoichiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saito
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017546:Angioscopy; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003330:Coronary Vessel Anomalies / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012850:Sinus of Valsalva / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D014584:User-Computer Interface