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Single coronary artery with spasm

Daisuke Utsunomiya1, Koichi Nakao, Yasuyuki Yamashita

  • 1Diagnostic Imaging Center, Saiseikai Kumamoto Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan. daisuke-utsunomiya@saiseikaikumamoto.jp

Radiation Medicine
|July 29, 2008
PubMed

Insights

A rare single coronary artery anomaly caused chest pain in a 54-year-old woman. Multidetector computed tomography (CT) imaging diagnosed the condition, revealing coronary spasm rather than stenosis.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Radiology
  • Anatomical Variations

Background:

  • A single coronary artery is a rare congenital anomaly with potential clinical significance.
  • Coronary artery anomalies can present with diverse symptoms, including chest pain.

Observation:

  • A 54-year-old woman presented with rest predominant chest pain.
  • Diagnostic imaging revealed a single coronary artery.
  • Computed tomography (CT) angiography was instrumental in visualizing the anomaly.

Findings:

  • The CT angiographic images showed no evidence of coronary artery stenosis.
  • Intracoronary acetylcholine infusion confirmed totally occlusive coronary spasm.
  • This suggests vasospasm as the cause of symptoms in this coronary anomaly.

Implications:

  • Multidetector CT is valuable for diagnosing and classifying coronary artery anomalies.
  • Coronary artery anomalies, even without stenosis, can cause significant ischemic symptoms.
  • Understanding the interplay of anomalies and vasospasm is crucial for patient management.

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