Fig 1.
Example of the assessment of the coronary artery calcium score on axial images from the non-contrast CT.
(A) and (B) Axial images; (C) superimposed axial images. Extensive calcification observed in the left main coronary artery (LM, pink), left anterior descending artery (LAD, pink), left circumflex coronary artery (LCX, yellow), right coronary artery (RCA, red), and posterior branch of the left ventricle artery (LPA, blue).
Fig 2.
Volume-rendering image provides an overview of the evaluated coronary veins.
(A) Posterior view; (B) anterolateral view. The coronary sinus (CS) and great cardiac vein (GCV) run along the atrioventricular groove. The posterior interventricular vein (PIV) is the first tributary of the CS that courses in the posterior interventricular groove. The other tributaries of the CS are the posterior vein of the left ventricle (PVLV) and the left marginal vein (LMV). The great cardiac vein (GCV) then continues as the anterior interventricular vein (AIV) in the anterior interventricular groove. Also note the left anterior descending artery (LAD), left circumflex coronary artery (LCX), ramus intermedius (RI), diagonal branches (D1, D2), posterior descending artery (PDA), posterior branch of left ventricle artery (LPA) and right coronary artery (RCA).
Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of the study population.
Table 2.
Visualization of the PVLV and LMV.
Table 3.
Diameters of the CS ostium and its tributaries (mm).
Fig 3.
Volume-rendering images show absence of the left marginal vein (LMV) in a patient with CACS = 1201 AU.
(A) Left lateral view of the heart; (B) posterior view of the heart; and (C) and (D) anterior views of the coronary tree. (D) shows the extensive calcification on the coronary artery. The coronary sinus (CS), great cardiac vein (GCV), posterior interventricular vein (PIV), posterior vein of the left ventricle (PVLV) and anterior interventricular vein (AIV) are visualized in this patient. Also note the left anterior descending artery (LAD), left circumflex coronary artery (LCX), ramus intermedius (RI), posterior descending artery (PDA), posterior branch of left ventricle artery (LPA) and right coronary artery (RCA).
Table 4.
Prevalence of the PVLV and LMV obtained from different studies that evaluated the coronary venous system using various kinds of CT.