Imaging of aortico-left ventricular tunnel by three-dimensional echocardiography.
Aortico-left ventricular tunnel (ALVT) is a rare congenital heart disease presenting as congestive heart failure in the neonatal or early infantile period due to severe aortic regurgitation (AR). We presented a 1-month-old boy with ALVT, originally diagnosed by two-dimensional echocardiography; however, the detailed anatomical features were not ascertained. Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) could provide clear images of the three-dimensional structures of ALVT, just the same as those of surgical findings. ALVT originated from the left coronary cusp and ran an oblique path to the subvalvular orifice, having a narrow segment in the middle. RT3DE is a clinically useful diagnostic tool to clarify the detailed anatomy of ALVT.
Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Nagano Children's Hospital, 3100 Toyoshina, Azumino, 399-8288, Japan.
Seiichi
S
Tazawa
Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Nagano Children's Hospital, 3100 Toyoshina, Azumino, 399-8288, Japan. syasukochi@naganoch.gr.jp.
Satoshi
S
Yasukochi
Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Nagano Children's Hospital, 3100 Toyoshina, Azumino, 399-8288, Japan.
Kiyohiro
K
Takigiku
Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Nagano Children's Hospital, 3100 Toyoshina, Azumino, 399-8288, Japan.
Ichige
I
Kajimura
Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Nagano Children's Hospital, 3100 Toyoshina, Azumino, 399-8288, Japan.
Kohta
K
Takei
Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Nagano Children's Hospital, 3100 Toyoshina, Azumino, 399-8288, Japan.
Nao
N
Inoue
Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Nagano Children's Hospital, 3100 Toyoshina, Azumino, 399-8288, Japan.
Yusuke
Y
Nakano
Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Nagano Children's Hospital, 3100 Toyoshina, Azumino, 399-8288, Japan.
Yorikazu
Y
Harada
Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Nagano Children's Hospital, 3100 Toyoshina, Azumino, 399-8288, Japan.
Takahiko
T
Sakamoto
Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Nagano Children's Hospital, 3100 Toyoshina, Azumino, 399-8288, Japan.
Kentaro
K
Umezu
Aortic regurgitation; Aortico-left ventricular tunnel; Congenital heart disease; Three-dimensional echocardiography