title: Anomalous pulmonary venous connections.
abstract: Developmental lung anomalies are classified into 3 main categories: bronchopulmonary (lung bud) anomalies, vascular anomalies, and combined lung and vascular anomalies. These anomalies are uncommon, and patients are at times asymptomatic; hence, identifying a developmental lung anomaly in the adult can be a challenge. Pulmonary vascular anomalies include interruption or absence of the main pulmonary artery, anomalous origin of the left pulmonary artery from the right pulmonary artery, anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (partial or complete), and pulmonary arteriovenous malformations. Systemic vascular anomalies comprise persistent left superior vena cava, anomalies of azygos and hemiazygos systems, and anomalies of the thoracic aorta and its major branches. In this article, we present embryology, classification, epidemiology, clinical presentation, and imaging features of anomalous pulmonary venous connections, with special emphasis on multidetector computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. These state-of-art imaging techniques have facilitated accurate and prompt diagnosis of these anomalies.
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Radiology section, Department of Radiology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78258, USA.
authors.forename: Rashmi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Katre
authors.forename: Stephanie K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: Horacio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murillo
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: Carlos S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Restrepo
mesh_terms: D001980:Bronchi / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology; D001995:Bronchography / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis*