Anatomical investigation of the sinus node artery using dual-source computed tomography.
BACKGROUND
Few investigators have studied the anatomy of the sinus node artery (SNA) using noninvasive imaging modalities, so the objective of this study was to visualize the in-vivo 3-dimensional anatomical relations of the SNA using dual-source computed tomography (DSCT).


RESULTS
In the 101 patients included in this study, the visualization rate, anatomical type and diameter of the SNA, the distance between the orifice and coronary artery, and the terminal type of SNA were recorded. The visualization rate was 95.2% (96/101). Of 96 patients, 106 SNAs were detected among which 51 (48.1%, 51/106) originated from the right coronary artery, 52 (49.1%, 52/106) from the left circumflex artery, and 3 (2.7%, 3/106) from other branches. There were 3 types of SNA: right (n = 52), left (n = 45), and posterior (n = 9). The distance between the orifice of the right SNA and the right coronary sinus was 14.2+/-15.2 mm, for the left SNA it was 5.5+/-3.5 mm, and for the posterior SNA, 33.7+/-12.8 mm. The average diameter was 1.27+/-0.29 mm. The SNA approached the nodal tissue by 1 of 3 routes: retrocaval (51.5%), precaval (25.2%), or pericaval (22.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
The SNA can be visualized in vivo using DSCT, which is important for preoperative knowledge of its origin, course, termination, and anatomical type.
Zhang
Long Jiang
LJ
Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Clinical School of Medical College, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
Wang
Yu Zhu
YZ
Huang
Wei
W
Chen
Peng
P
Zhou
Chang Sheng
CS
Lu
Guang Ming
GM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods