Anomalous pulmonary venous drainage of the left upper lobe

MR imaging of thoracic veins

The thoracic venous system can be visualized and characterized well with MR imaging. In this article, MR sequences that are suited for this purpose (including the more advanced techniques) are reviewed. The normal thoracic venous anatomy and a brief summary of its embryogenesis is provided. The appearances of congenital and acquired abnormalities of the systemic and pulmonary thoracic veins are described. This article also discusses recent applications of MR imaging in the evaluation of the pulmonary veins and the left atrium in patients who have atrial fibrillation.

Partial anomalous pulmonary venous return: iatrogenic occlusion of the innominate vein producing right-to-left shunt

A patient experienced acute dyspnea and hypoxia upon removal of a thrombosed peripherally inserted central venous catheter. This was shown to be caused by innominate vein occlusion complicated by a right-to-left shunt, via an anomalous pulmonary vein, causing arterial desaturation. A stent was placed in the occluded innominate vein and arterial saturation returned to normal.

Partial anomalous pulmonary venous return with intact atrial septum: report of four cases

Four patients are reported who underwent repair of partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage with intact atrial septum. One patient also had azygos continuation of the inferior vena cava and two patients had associated mitral stenosis. Diagnostic considerations and guidelines for operative repair are presented.

Anomalous pulmonary venous drainage from the left lung to the right atrium. Successful surgical treatment in an 11-year-old girl

An 11-year-old girl with anomalous pulmonary venous drainage from the left lung to the right atrium was corrected by anastomosing the anomalous trunk to the left auricular appendage. Postoperatively she developed a left-sided chylothorax which resolved on medical treatment. A postoperative angiocardiography one year after surgery showed a well-functioning anastomosis.