title: Clinical value of diagnosing aortico-left ventricular tunnel by echocardiography.
abstract: In order to assess the clinical value of echocardiography in the diagnosis of aortico-left ventricular tunnel (ALVT) the echocardiographic data and clinical manifestations of six patients with ALVT were analyzed in the present study. Based on the results, a comprehensive study was conducted regarding 147 cases from related documents. Six patients were confirmed with ALVT by surgery. The echocardiographic images of the patients revealed an abnormal communication beginning in the ascending aorta above the coronary arteries, bypassing the aortic valve, and ending in the left ventricle. The color Doppler flow imaging showed a high-speed to- and -fro flow with or without the involvement of the aortic valve. According to Hovaguimian type casting, there were two cases of type I, two cases of type III, one case of type IV, and one case of type II (postoperative recanalization). Of the 153 cases reported, the accuracy rate of the ultrasound diagnosis was 79.6%, the misdiagnosis rate was 17.1%, and the missed diagnostic rate was 3.3%. In conclusion, echocardiography is the preferred method for non-invasive preoperative diagnosis of the ALVT and can accurately describe the type and involvement of the cardiac structure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound Imaging, Xiangyang Hospital Affiliated to Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, Hubei 441000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Manying
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound Imaging, Xiangyang Hospital Affiliated to Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, Hubei 441000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jiabao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound Imaging, Xiehe Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound Imaging, Xiehe Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: aortico-left ventricular tunnel; congenital; echocariography; heart defects