title: The value of transthoracic echocardiography in the diagnosis of anomalous origin of the right pulmonary artery from the ascending aorta: A single center experience from China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anomalous origin of pulmonary artery (AOPA) from the ascending aorta is a rare but serious congenital cardiac malformation, which frequently involves the right pulmonary artery (RPA).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed the echocardiographic characteristics of 9 cases with anomalous origin of the right pulmonary artery from the ascending aorta (AORPA) studied from 2007 to 2014 in our institution. The results were compared with the findings at surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The corrective surgery was performed in all 9 cases with AORPA. The diagnosis by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) of 8 cases with AORPA was confirmed at surgery. The coincidence rate for TTE and surgical findings was 88.9%. One case was misdiagnosed as anomalous origin of the left pulmonary artery from the ascending aorta. The anomalous RPA in all cases had a proximal origin from the posterior or lateral part of the ascending aorta in our series. The mean distance from the aortic valve to the site of origin of pulmonary artery was 16.1 ± 6.6 mm (range: 7.0 mm-24.0 mm). The mean diameter of the anomalous pulmonary artery was 9.6 ± 4.5 mm (range: 4.5 mm-17.0 mm). In 4 of 9 (44.5%) cases there were associated aortopulmonary septal defect, intact ventricular septum, patent ductus arteriosus and interruption of aortic arch (Type A), also known as the Berry's syndrome. Other associated cardiovascular abnormalities included patent ductus arteriosus, ventricular septal defect and atrial septal defect. Severe pulmonary arterial hypertension was noted in all cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TTE plays an important role in the non-invasive and accurate diagnosis of AORPA. TTE can clearly display its site of origin and course, as well as other associated malformations and hemodynamic changes. TTE also plays an important role in the preoperative diagnosis of AORPA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Department of Medicine, George Washington University Medical Center, 2150 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20037, USA. Electronic address: tcheng@mfa.gwu.edu.
authors.forename: Tsung O
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Mingxing
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Xinfang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Yali
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D001011:Aorta / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Anomalous pulmonary artery; Congenital heart disease; Echocardiography; Surgery