Imaging the coronary venous drainage system using electron-beam CT.

This study describes the appearance of the coronary sinus and its tributary veins as visualized on ECG-triggered electron-beam computed tomography (CT) and investigates their spatial relationship to other cardiac structures. Thirty-two patients were examined with ECG-triggered electron-beam CT (exposure time: 100 ms, slice thickness: 1.5 mm) after intravenous contrast agent administration. The entire heart was imaged; the appearance of the coronary sinus and its tributary veins were evaluated. In all 32 patients the anterior interventricular vein and the posterior interventricular vein drained into the coronary sinus. The small cardiac vein was visualized in five patients, a posterior vein of the left ventricle in three and the left marginal vein in eleven. The coronary sinus of all 32 patients had a average length of 30 mm +/- 10 mm (mean +/- SD), range: 21-40 mm and a diameter of 9 mm +/- 5 mm (mean +/- SD), range: 4-14 mm. The results of our work show that if the entire heart volume is scanned using ECG-triggered electron-beam CT, the delineation and the differentiation of the major cardiac veins is possible on transverse cross sections in a way which corresponds to the anatomical literature. Hence to the similar enhancement and similar diameter of coronary veins and arteries on contrast-enhanced electron-beam CT studies, the radiologist should be familiar with the cross-sectional anatomy of the major cardiac veins to prevent possible misinterpretation.