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Three-Dimensional Echocardiographic Method for the Visualization and Assessment of Specific Parameters of the Pulmonary Veins
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Normal distal pulmonary vein anatomy.

Wiesława Klimek-Piotrowska1, Mateusz K Hołda1, Katarzyna Piątek1

  • 1Department of Anatomy, Jagiellonian University Medical College , Krakow , Poland.

Peerj
|January 22, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Only 71% of hearts have the standard four pulmonary veins (PVs). An additional middle right PV occurs in nearly 20% of individuals, impacting PV anatomy understanding for procedures.

Keywords:
Atrial fibrillationHeart anatomyMiddle lobe veinMorphometryMyocardial sleeves

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Area of Science:

  • Anatomy
  • Cardiovascular System
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Pulmonary veins (PVs) and their myocardial sleeves are critical in atrial fibrillation.
  • Accurate PV anatomy knowledge is essential for procedural safety and efficacy.
  • Variations in PV ostia require detailed characterization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To document normal distal pulmonary vein anatomy.
  • To catalog and compare various pulmonary vein ostium configurations.
  • To provide anatomical data for clinical applications.

Main Methods:

  • Examination of 130 autopsied Caucasian adult human hearts.
  • Evaluation of PV ostia number, diameter, and distance to the last tributary.
  • Macroscopic assessment of myocardial sleeve presence.

Main Results:

  • 541 PV ostia identified; 70.8% exhibited the classical four-vein pattern.
  • An additional middle right PV was the most common variant (19.2%).
  • Mean diameters and ostium-to-last-tributary distances were recorded for each PV type.

Conclusions:

  • The standard four pulmonary vein anatomy is present in only 71% of individuals.
  • The middle right pulmonary vein is a significant anatomical variant, found in nearly 20% of cases.
  • These findings offer valuable insights for clinicians performing PV-related interventional procedures and imaging.