title: Cardiac imaging: Part 2, normal, variant, and anomalous configurations of the coronary vasculature.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Noninvasive imaging of the heart and coronary vasculature using CT and MRI is a new and exciting opportunity for radiologists. The purpose of this pictorial essay is to review normal and variant anatomy of the coronary arteries and of several coronary anomalies that may be clinically significant. The coronary veins and artifacts simulating disease will also be briefly covered. This article will help radiologists learn and review normal coronary anatomy, normal variants, and coronary anomalies and recognize pitfalls, such as coronary veins and artifacts, that may be confusing when first encountered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The coronary arteries generally are predictable in their origin, course, and perfusion territories. Standardized reporting systems exist for describing the location of specific lesions, and radiologists who interpret CT and MR coronary images should be aware of and should attempt to integrate these reporting schemes into clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55902, USA. young.phillip@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Phillip M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Gerber
authors.forename: Eric E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Julsrud
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Herfkens
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D003287:Contrast Media; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D003330:Coronary Vessel Anomalies / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media