title: Contrast echo-a simple diagnostic tool for a coronary artery fistula.
abstract: Coronary artery fistulas have been diagnosed with aortography, coronary angiography, and coronary computed tomography (CT). A large fistula can be occasionally found as a mass lesion on echocardiography but cannot be easily confirmed. Here, we report a new diagnostic approach to coronary artery fistulas using a contrast agent and transthoracic echocardiography. Transthoracic echocardiography of a 46-year-old female suffering from dyspnea revealed suspicious small turbulent flow in the main pulmonary artery. Following infusion of a contrast agent, we found whitish flow in the main pulmonary artery during the diastolic phase, and aortic CT revealed two huge right coronary artery fistulas in the main pulmonary artery. A simple diagnostic approach to a coronary artery fistula using contrast agent helped us confirm the diagnosis because of the typical diastolic whitish flow in the pulmonary artery.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Division, National Health Insurance Corporation Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Suk-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Se-Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Se-Joong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rim