Single coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva
1Department of Cardiology, Civic Hospital Cecina, Italy.
Insights
A rare single coronary artery anomaly, originating from the right sinus and branching into left and right coronary arteries, was diagnosed in a 74-year-old woman with myocardial infarction. Multislice CT imaging was crucial for diagnosis and understanding the anomaly.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Radiology
- Anatomical Pathology
Background:
- Congenital coronary artery anomalies are rare but can lead to significant cardiovascular events.
- A single coronary artery is an uncommon anomaly with varying origins and branching patterns.
Observation:
- A 74-year-old woman presented with non-ST elevation acute myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).
- Coronary angiography revealed a single coronary artery originating from the right coronary sinus, bifurcating into the left and right coronary arteries.
- Multislice computed tomography (CT) defined the retroaortic course of the left coronary artery.
Findings:
- The coronary angiography ruled out significant stenosis in the bifurcating left and right coronary arteries.
- Multislice CT confirmed the anomalous origin and retroaortic course of the left coronary artery.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of advanced imaging like multislice CT in diagnosing complex coronary artery anomalies.
- Understanding the anatomical variations and their potential for causing myocardial infarction is crucial for clinical decision-making.
- Coronary artery anomalies, even without stenosis, can precipitate acute coronary syndromes due to altered blood flow dynamics.
Abstract:
We describe a case of a single coronary artery originating from the right coronary sinus and bifurcating into the left coronary artery (LCA) and right coronary artery (RCA) in a 74-year old woman, with a non-ST elevation acute myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Diagnosis was made by coronary angiography which ruled out stenosis, and showed normal LCA and RCA branching. The connection path of LCA, with the opposite cusp, was defined retroaortic by multislice computed tomography (CT). The variants of this coronary anomaly, together with their clinical implications and pathophysiology of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are discussed. Multislice CT is fundamental for clinical decision making.
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