Association between changes in coronary artery circulation and cardiac venous retention: a lesson from cardiac computed tomography

Coronary Sinus Diameter as a Potential Marker of Right Ventricle Impairment

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the parameters of the coronary sinus (CS) on the parameters that describe the function of the right ventricle (RV), which were calculated using cardiac computed tomography. Methods: A CT scan of the heart was performed on 150 patients due to suspicion of coronary artery disease using a Siemens Somatom Force (2 × 192 × 0.6) and a syngo.via workstation. The “CT coronary” and in some cases the generic presets were used to measure the CS ostium in millimeters (mm). The functional measurements of right heart ventricles were examined using the “CT cardiac function” automatic function on a 256 × 256 matrix. Results: The average diameter of the CS ostium was 16.29 ± 4.37 mm. In the group with RV impairment, it was 16.56 ± 4.76, whereas in the group with normal values of the RV, it was 15.98 ± 3.88 mm, p = 0.4199. The average angle of the entrance of the CS into the right atrium was 107.25° ± 9.68°. In the group with an RV impairment, it was 105.91° ± 9.22°, while in the patients with normal values of the RV, it was 108.82° ± 10.04°; p = 0.0682. A multiple regression showed that end systolic volume (p = 0.0017) and stroke volume (p = 0.0144) are important predictors of the CS ostium. Conclusions: Some relationships were found between the CS and the selected parameters that describe the function of the RV. This may suggest a role for the CS as a right ventricular buffer, which could potentially be treated as a marker of an RV impairment.

Evaluation of the anatomical variations of the coronary venous system in patients with coronary artery calcification using 256-slice computed tomography

The factors that determine the anatomical variations of the coronary venous system (CVS) are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anatomical variations of the CVS in patients with coronary artery calcification. 196 patients underwent non-contrast CT and coronary CT angiography using 256-slice CT. All subjects were divided into four groups based on their coronary artery calcium score (CACS): 50 patients with CACS = 0 Agatston unit (AU), 52 patients with CACS = 1–100 AU, 44 patients with CACS = 101–400 AU, and 50 patients with CACS > 400 AU. The presence of the following cardiac veins was evaluated: the coronary sinus (CS), great cardiac vein (GCV), posterior interventricular vein (PIV), posterior vein of the left ventricle (PVLV), left marginal vein (LMV), anterior interventricular vein (AIV), and small cardiac vein (SCV). Vessel diameters were also measured. We found that the CS, GCV, PIV, and AIV were visualized in all patients, whereas the PVLV and LMV were identified in a certain proportion of patients: 98% and 96% in the CACS = 0 AU group, 100% and 78.8% in the CACS = 1–100 AU group, 93.2% and 77.3% in the CACS = 101–400 AU group, and 98% and 78% in the CACS > 400 AU group, respectively. The LMV was less often identified in the last three groups than in the first group (p < 0.05). The frequency of having either one PVLV or LMV was higher in the last three groups than in the first group (p < 0.05). No significant differences in vessel diameters were observed between the groups. It was concluded that patients with coronary artery calcification were less likely to have the LMV, which might hamper the left ventricular lead implantation in cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Variation in Cardiac Vein System is Associated with Coronary Artery Calcium - A Venous-Atherosclerosis Paradox?

BACKGROUND

The factors that determine the different patterns of venous anatomy are not well understood. This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between variation in the cardiac vein system and the extent of coronary artery calcium score (CACS).

METHODS

We reviewed the results of 64-slice CTs of 226 subjects (age 57.2 ± 11.2; 133M) enrolled in our study. The subjects were divided into 3 groups based on coronary artery calcium: 92 patients. with CACS = 0 AU (Agatston Unit, AU); 56 with CACS = 1-100 AU; and 78 patients with CACS > than 100 AU. The cardiac venous system was reconstructed during the optimal phase of the cardiac cycle in each subject.

RESULTS

Subjects with a higher CACS had a better quality of vein images (p < 0.01). The number of visible veins differed between the groups. Eight subjects (8.7%) in the group with CACS = 0 AU, 7 (12.5%) in the group with CACS = 1-100 AU, and 23 (29.5%) in the group with CACS > 100 AU had five or more visible veins (p < 0.001), whereas the proportion of subjects with less than three visible veins was 56 (60.8%), 31 (55.4%) and 30 (38.4%), respectively (p < 0.05). The number of visible veins correlated with CACS (r = 0.28; p < 0.05). In a multivariate regression analysis, which included age, gender, CACS, LV ejection fraction, myocardial volume and heart rate, the CACS was found to be an independent determinant of the number of visible veins (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of our study suggested that there is a link between a variation in the cardiac venous system and the extent of atherosclerosis.

KEY WORDS

Coronary artery calcium score (CACS); Computed tomography; Coronary veins.

Coronary venous system in cardiac computer tomography: Visualization, classification and role

The role of the coronary venous system was underestimated for many years. In the last 20 years, a few percutaneous cardiology techniques in which the anatomy of the coronary venous system was significant were developed and are in use. The most important seems to be cardiac resynchronization therapy, which is an invasive method for the treatment of heart failure. Unfortunately, one of the major problems is the significant anatomical variability of the coronary venous system. The description of the selected anatomical structures is only useful in selected cases such as, for example, the obstruction of selected vessels, a huge Thebesian valve, etc. The 3D images can add significant value; however, their usefulness is limited due to the different points of view that are obtained during intra-operational fluoroscopy. After summarizing all of the articles and guidelines, it can be recommended that the visualization of the coronary venous system be performed in certain patients before cardiac resynchronization. The best option is to use tomography with retrospective gating with the optimal reconstruction of cardiac veins that occurs during the diastolic phases.