5. Normal Anatomy
R and L coronary arteries arise from the R and L
aortic sinuses (of Valsalva)
Usually within 1cm superior to aortic valve
Arteries originate orthogonal to aortic wall
Epicardial (extramural course) course
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
7. Anomalous Coronary Arteries
Found in ~0.1%-1.3% of patients undergoing
cardiac catheterization
Can be assoc w/ congenital heart dz or be
isolated anomaly
Angio evaluation can be challenging;
misdiagnosis in up to 50% of cases
Rare but important cause of CP, arrhythmia,
MI & sudden cardiac death; TREATABLE
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
8. Why Is It So Dangerous?
Not fully understood; many variants benign
But some variants w/ mortality rates >50%
Depends on course of anomalous artery:
retroaortic & anterior courses benign
Dangerous: “interarterial” course b/w aorta &
RVOT
Pathophysiolgy unclear: compression or
kinking during systole vs. abnl narrowing of
ostium
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
13. Congenital origin of the circumflex artery from the right coronary sinus,
it shows separate origin slightly infro-posterior to the origin of the right
coronary artery.
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
14. Anomalous Right Coronary
Anomalous RCA:
Either off L sinus or branches off single left coronary
Can be retroaortic but IN VAST MAJORITY (>90%)
OF CASES INTERARTERIAL MALIGNANT
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
19. L sinus of Valslava
R AV groove
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
20. L sinus of Valslava
R AV groove
INTERARTERIAL ISCHEMIA!!!
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
21. Malignant right coronary artery
• anomalous origin of a right coronary artery
from the left coronary sinus with an inter-
arterial course, between the aorta and the
main pulmonary artery.
• This variant has been called malignant
because of its association with sudden death,
especially in young asymptomatic athletes
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
22. Maximum intensity projection of top of heart
showing both right coronary artey (RCA) and
left coronary artey (LCA) originating from left
coronary sinus. RCA has a slit-like ostium and
courses between pulmonary artery (PA) and
aorta (A)
Volume rendered image of same showing
anomalous, interarterial course of right
coronary artey (RCA), between pulmonary
artery (PA) and aorta (A)
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
23. the origin of the RCA from the left aortic sinus and its course between the RVOT and aorta.
The compression of the RCA during its interarterial course is well appreciated. The normal
origin of the left main coronary artery is also seen
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
25. CCT image obtained for young patient with chest pain. Arrow indicates
anomalous origin and course of right coronary artery between aorta and
pulmonary arterial trunk.
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
26. Multislice computed tomographic angiogram of an anomalous
right coronary artery (RCA) that originates from the left
coronary sinus. The vessel's course between the aorta and
pulmonary artery caused anginal symptoms in this patient.
Visualization of coronary artery anomalies
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
27. • 24 years old male with chest pain on exertion, CT coronary
angiography was done reveal an abnormal origin of the right
coronary artery from the left posterior aortic sinus with inter
aorto pulmonary course that is liable for compression during
systole.
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
28. Anomalous Left Coronary
Anomalous LCA:
Either off R sinus or branches off single right
coronary
Can be retroaortic, anterior or intramural but
IN MOST CASES (75%) INTERARTERIAL
MALIGNANT
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
40. LCX with an anomalous origin, arising at the origin of the RCA, as shown in an oblique
transverse thin-slab maximumintensity projection image. The LCX follows a retro-aortic course
to its normal position in the left atrioventricular groove (arrows). This is a benign variant that
is not associated with ischemia
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
41. 47 year old woman with atypical chest pain:
Anomalous LCA from RT coronary sinus
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
42. There is an anomalous origin of the LCA from the right
sinus of Valsalva and the LCA courses between the aorta
and pulmonary artery.
This interarterial course can lead to compression of the
LCA (yellow arrows) resulting in myocardial ischemia.
The other anomalies in the figure on the left are not hemodynamically significant.
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
43. Interarterial LCA
On the left images of a patient with an anomalous origin of the LCA from the right
sinus of Valsalva and coursing between the aorta and pulmonary artery.
Sudden death is frequently observed in these patients.
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
44. ALCAPA
On the left images of a patient with an anomalous origin of the LCA from the pulmonary artery, also
known as ALCAPA.
ALCAPA results in the left ventricular myocardium being perfused by relatively desaturated blood under
low pressure, leading to myocardial ischemia.
ALCAPA is a rare, congenital cardiac anomaly accounting for approximately 0.25-0.5% of all congenital
heart diseases.
Approximately 85% of patients present with clinical symptoms of CHF within the first 1-2 months of life.
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
45. Left to right shunt: septal branch of LAD teminates in right ventricle
Fistula
On the image on the left we see a large LAD giving rise to a large septal branch
that terminates in the right ventricle (blue arrow).Dr/AHMED ESAWY
46. “Myocardial Bridging”
Segment of coronary artery dives below
epicardial surface, surrounded by
myocardium
In some cases the buried segment
significantly narrows during systole,
thought to compromise coronary blood
flow
Controversial as most coronary flow is during
diastole
This finding is USUALLY BENIGN but isolated
reports of clot at site of bridge leading to
MI
Dr/AHMED ESAWY
48. Myocardial bridging
Myocardial bridging is most commonly observed of the LAD (figure).
The depth of the vessel under the myocardium is more important that the lenght of the
myocardial bridging.
There is debate, whether some of these myocardial bridges are hemodynamically significant.
Dr/AHMED ESAWY