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Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Three-Dimensional Echocardiographic Method for the Visualization and Assessment of Specific Parameters of the Pulmonary Veins
06:48

Three-Dimensional Echocardiographic Method for the Visualization and Assessment of Specific Parameters of the Pulmonary Veins

Published on: October 28, 2020

Anomalies associated with a prominent azygos vein on echocardiography in the pediatric population

Rajesh Punn1, Inger Olson

  • 1Stanford University, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA. rpunn@stanford.edu

Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : Official Publication of the American Society of Echocardiography
|February 9, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Prominent azygos veins (PAVs) without inferior vena cava (IVC) interruption are not linked to heterotaxy. Echocardiography is crucial for identifying PAVs and associated cardiac anomalies like partial anomalous pulmonary venous return.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Imaging
  • Congenital Heart Disease
  • Anatomical Variants

Background:

  • Prominent azygos veins (PAVs) are typically associated with interrupted inferior venae cavae (IVCs) and heterotaxy.
  • The presence of PAVs with uninterrupted IVCs has been observed at our institution.
  • This study aimed to investigate the incidence of PAVs and related cardiac lesions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the occurrence rate of prominent azygos veins (PAVs).
  • To investigate associated cardiac lesions in patients with PAVs, differentiating between interrupted and uninterrupted inferior vena cavae (IVCs).
  • To assess the relationship between PAVs and heterotaxy.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective collection of all patients diagnosed with PAVs.
  • Classification of patients into two groups: Group 1 (interrupted IVC) and Group 2 (uninterrupted IVC).
  • Inclusion of a control group (Group 3) of normal subjects for comparison.

Main Results:

  • Out of 15,849 patients, 55 (0.3%) had PAVs, with 42 in Group 1 and 13 in Group 2.
  • Heterotaxy was prevalent in Group 1, but absent in Group 2.
  • Group 2 patients exhibited more structurally normal hearts (46% vs 14%) and a higher incidence of partial anomalous pulmonary venous return compared to Group 1.

Conclusions:

  • Prominent azygos veins (PAVs) occurring without inferior vena cava (IVC) interruption are not associated with heterotaxy.
  • Patients diagnosed with PAVs warrant thorough echocardiographic evaluation for potential partial anomalous pulmonary venous return.
Abstract

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