title: Echocardiography of the aortopulmonary window, aorto-ventricular tunnels, and aneurysm of the sinuses of Valsalva.
abstract: There is a collection of rare congenital cardiac defects that can produce significant haemodynamic embarrassment. Owing to their rarity, these lesions may be overlooked or mistaken for other more common congenital cardiac defects. Using careful segmental echocardiographic techniques, such as multiple planes of imaging and inferential Doppler findings, it is possible to identify these lesions and thus plan surgical management. Some of the lesions of importance reviewed include the aortopulmonary window, the aorto-ventricular tunnels, the aorto-atrial tunnels, and aneurysm of the sinuses of Valsalva. Some conditions such as the aortopulmonary window and aneurysm of the sinuses of Valsalva often occur in the setting of other congenital cardiac lesions. At times, the presence of coexisting lesions may mask some of the characteristic features of these defects. With prompt identification, all of these rare conditions are amenable to complete surgical repair. Newer modalities such as three-dimensional echocardiography can further enhance surgical planning.
authors.affiliation: Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322-1062, United States of America. mahlew@kidsheart.com
authors.forename: William T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Mahle
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kreeger
authors.forename: Norman H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Silverman
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001011:Aorta / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012850:Sinus of Valsalva; D014463:Ultrasonography