Coronary artery fistulas: CT findings.
Coronary artery fistulas are anomalous terminations of the coronary arteries. Most often, these fistulas are incidentally identified in the adult and pediatric populations. Many patients are asymptomatic; however, an awareness of these fistulas is important because they have been associated with various clinical features, including chest pain or heart failure in young patients. Correct diagnosis of coronary artery fistulas is important, and early surgical correction is indicated because of the high prevalence of late symptoms and complications. Traditionally, conventional angiography has been used for the diagnosis of coronary anomalies. With more frequent use of 64-row multi-detector computed tomography (CT) in chest and cardiac imaging, the number of incidentally found coronary artery fistulas has been increasing. CT angiography and conventional angiography can have additive value in diagnosis of this cardiac anomaly. In every CT study of the heart, special attention should be paid to the courses and terminations of the coronary arteries to detect these potentially fatal anomalies.
Zenooz
Navid A
NA
Department of Radiology, Yale New Haven Hospital, 20 York St, New Haven, CT 06510, USA. navid.zenooz@yale.edu
Habibi
Reza
R
Mammen
Leena
L
Finn
J Paul
JP
Gilkeson
Robert C
RC
D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D001159:Arterio-Arterial Fistula / Q000151:congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003330:Coronary Vessel Anomalies / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*