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Imaging in congenital pulmonary vein anomalies: the role of computed tomography

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Abstract

Pulmonary venous anomalies comprise a wide spectrum of anatomical variations and their clinical presentations may vary from the relatively benign single partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection (PAPVC) to the critical obstructed total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC). We briefly review the common anomalies encountered, while highlighting the utility that computed tomographic angiography (CTA) provides for this spectrum of extracardiac vascular malformations and connections. CTA has established itself as an invaluable imaging modality in these patients. A detailed knowledge of the CTA imaging findings in pulmonary venous anomalies is crucial to guide clinical decision-making in these patients.

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Conflicts of interest

U. J. Schoepf is a consultant for and receives research support from Bayer, Bracco, GE, Medrad and Siemens. K. Dyer, A. Hlavacek, F. Meinel, C. De Cecco, A. McQuiston and N. Pietris have no disclosures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Ashley River Tower, MSC 226, 25 Courtenay Drive , Charleston, SC, 29425, USA

    Kevin Todd Dyer, Anthony Marcus Hlavacek, Felix Gabriel Meinel, Carlo Nicola De Cecco, Andrew Douglas McQuiston, Uwe Joseph Schoepf & Nicholas Peter Pietris

  2. Division of Cardiology Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA

    Anthony Marcus Hlavacek, Uwe Joseph Schoepf & Nicholas Peter Pietris

  3. Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital, Munich, Germany

    Felix Gabriel Meinel

  4. Department of Radiological Sciences Oncology and Pathology, University of Rome “Sapienza” – Polo Pontino, Latina, Italy

    Carlo Nicola De Cecco

  5. Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA

    Uwe Joseph Schoepf

Authors
  1. Kevin Todd Dyer
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  2. Anthony Marcus Hlavacek
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  3. Felix Gabriel Meinel
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  4. Carlo Nicola De Cecco
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  5. Andrew Douglas McQuiston
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  6. Uwe Joseph Schoepf
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  7. Nicholas Peter Pietris
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Uwe Joseph Schoepf.

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Dyer, K.T., Hlavacek, A.M., Meinel, F.G. et al. Imaging in congenital pulmonary vein anomalies: the role of computed tomography. Pediatr Radiol 44, 1158–1168 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-014-3044-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-014-3044-7

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