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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Anatomical Reconstructions of the Human Cardiac Venous System using Contrast-computed Tomography of Perfusion-fixed Specimens
06:02

Anatomical Reconstructions of the Human Cardiac Venous System using Contrast-computed Tomography of Perfusion-fixed Specimens

Published on: April 18, 2013

A review of the coronary venous system: a road less travelled

Siew Yen Ho1, Damián Sánchez-Quintana, Anton E Becker

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College and Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK. yen.ho@imperial.ac.uk

Heart Rhythm
|April 27, 2005
PubMed

Insights

The coronary venous system, though less studied, is vital for cardiac interventions. Understanding its complex anatomy is crucial for effective percutaneous transcatheter treatments in arrhythmias and heart failure.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Anatomy
  • Interventional Cardiology

Background:

  • The coronary venous system receives less attention than the arterial system.
  • Therapeutic strategies for arrhythmias and heart failure increasingly utilize the coronary venous system.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the arrangement of main cardiac veins.
  • To provide a morphologic background for interventionalists.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on coronary venous anatomy.
  • Morphologic analysis of cardiac veins.

Main Results:

  • The coronary venous system serves as a conduit for percutaneous transcatheter treatments.
  • Significant variability exists in venous valves, diameter, angulation, muscular sleeves, and spatial relationships with coronary arteries.

Conclusions:

  • Variations in coronary venous anatomy present challenges for interventional procedures.
  • Detailed morphologic understanding is essential for successful percutaneous interventions via the coronary venous system.

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