Related Experiment Video For duplicated superior vena cava
Updated: Jun 27, 2025

Image Acquisition Method for the Sonographic Assessment of the Inferior Vena Cava
Published on: January 13, 2023
Lung Perfusion Scintigraphy Reveals a Duplicated Superior Vena Cava With a Right-to-Left Shunt: A Rare Vascular
Joshua D Zamarripa1, Horace Hayes2, Michael R Povlow3
1Transitional Year Medicine, San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, San Antonio, USA.
Abstract:
Lung perfusion scintigraphy is a common nuclear medicine exam performed for the evaluation of pulmonary emboli, often in the emergency setting. There can be confusion when a radiotracer is located outside of the normal physiologic distribution. This can occur due to improper radionuclide tagging or may be due to anatomic variations. We present a case where a patient presented with bilateral lower extremity deep vein thrombosis and a nuclear medicine lung perfusion scintigraphy showing a complete right-to-left shunt related to a rare anatomical variant of a duplicated superior vena cava (SVC) with the right SVC draining directly into the systemic circulation via the left atrium.
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