title: The chance finding at multislice computed tomography coronary angiography of an ectopic origin of the left circumflex coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva.
abstract: Anomalous coronary arteries occur in less than 2% of the general population. Most coronary anomalies are clinically asymptomatic. However some of them may present with chest pain, syncope, heart failure and sudden death. Acute myocardial infarction has been also described. Extravascular coronary compression results in dynamic obstruction which can cause effort angina as well as syncope and anomalous coronary arteries with an inter-arterial course are associated with sudden cardiac death. Anomalous origin of the circumflex coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva is thought to be of little clinical significance without the presence of severe narrowing of the vessel. Adequate visualization of the anomaly is essential for proper patient management. It has reported the full capability and accuracy of computed tomography coronary angiography in the identification and evaluation of the ectopic origin of the left circumflex coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva, displaying accurately the origin, size, course, and relationship of the anomalous vessel with respect to surrounding structures. We report a case of chance finding at multislice computed tomography coronary angiography of an ectopic origin of the left circumflex coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva. Also this case focuses attention on the anomalous origin of the circumflex coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva and confirms the full capability and accuracy of computed tomography coronary angiography in its adequate visualization.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Experimental Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dattilo
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Experimental Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lamari
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Radiologiche Policlinico Messina, Università di Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Messina
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Experimental Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Egidio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Imbalzano
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Radiologiche Policlinico Messina, Università di Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Ignazio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Salamone
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Experimental Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Scipione
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carerj
authors.affiliation: Cardiologia Nuovo Presidio Ospedaliero Cutroni Zodda-Barcellona P.d.G (Me) AUSL5 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marte
authors.affiliation: Cardiologia Nuovo Presidio Ospedaliero Cutroni Zodda-Barcellona P.d.G (Me) AUSL5 Messina, Italy. Electronic address: patane-@libero.it.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patanè
mesh_terms: D002828:Choristoma; D003330:Coronary Vessel Anomalies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008875:Middle Aged; D012850:Sinus of Valsalva / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed