Diagnosis of the sinus venosus defect by echocardiography and angiocardiography

A retrospective analysis of forty five cases of sinus venosus defect was done to compare the ability of transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography and cineangiography in diagnosing this lesion. Left atrial and superior vena cava angiography delineated sinus venosus defect accurately in all the 45 cases (100%). Transthoracic cross-sectional echocardiography combined with colour flow mapping could visualize this defect in 28 out of 45 cases (62.2%) and proved inferior to transesophgeal technique which diagnosed the defect in all the 8 cases (100%) studied. An anomalous venous connection associated with sinus venosus defect was best diagnosed at cardiac catheterization although transesophgeal technique seems promising.