Assessment of the Coronary Venous System Using 256-Slice Computed Tomography

PURPOSE: To investigate the coronary venous system and its relation to adjacent structures using 256-slice computed tomography (CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study consisted of 102 patients who underwent coronary CT angiography (CTA) using 256-slice CT. For each patient, the coronary venous system and its relation to adjacent structures were evaluated. The appropriate locations and diameters of the posterior interventricular vein (PIV), posterior vein of the left ventricle (PVLV) and the left marginal vein (LMV) were detected. The paired student's t test was used to evaluate the difference between the diameter of the coronary sinus (CS) ostium in anteroposterior direction and that in superoinferior direction. RESULTS: The CS, great cardiac vein (GCV), PIV, and anterior interventricular vein (AIV) were visualized in all cases. It was possible to evaluate at least one main vein with adequate caliber and regular course for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in 96.1% of these cases. The diameter of the CS ostium in superoinferior direction (11.7±2.1 mm) was larger than that in anteroposterior direction (9.0±2.0 mm) (t = 13.511, P<0.05). For the majority of the cases, the CS-GCV was located above the level of the mitral valve annulus (MVA), while the left circumflex coronary artery (LCX) was coursed between the CS-GCV and the MVA. LMV had more intersection with the circumflex or circumflex marginal than PVLV. CONCLUSION: 256-slice CT provides superior noninvasive evaluation of the coronary venous system which has important clinical implications.