Right ductus arteriosus: facts and theory

Area of Science:

• Fetal Medicine
• Cardiovascular Development
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Persistent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a common congenital condition.
• A right aortic arch (RAA) is a rare anomaly of the great arteries.
• The association between RPDA and RAA requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the incidence of fetal right-sided persistent ductus arteriosus (RPDA) in association with right aortic arch (RAA).
• To describe sonographic findings suggestive of RPDA with left aortic arch.
• To assess the association of RPDA with other fetal anomalies and karyotype.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 19,874 fetal anatomical scans.
• Detailed sonographic examination for detection of fetal anomalies.
• Identification of right aortic arch (RAA) and persistent ductus arteriosus (PDA) variations.

Main Results:

• Four out of 40 fetuses (10%) with RAA had RPDA.
• Seven cases of RPDA associated with a left aortic arch were identified.
• Only one RPDA case (9%) had a cardiac anomaly; all fetuses had normal karyotypes.

Conclusions:

• RPDA occurs in 10% of fetuses with RAA.
• An unusual ductus arteriosus (DA) may indicate RPDA with a left aortic arch.
• RPDA is often a normal variant unrelated to other anomalies or abnormal karyotypes.