Imaging of anomalous pulmonary venous connections by multidetector CT angiography using third-generation dual source CT scanner.

Abnormal embryological development of the pulmonary veins can manifest as either partial or total anomalous drainage into the systemic venous circulation. Echocardiography does not provide adequate information in all cases as the optimal visualization of anomalous structures is limited by the availability of acoustic window; also it is highly operator dependent. However, multidetector CT angiography, with its multiplanar reformatting and volume rendering techniques, offers precise information about the three-dimensional anatomy and spatial relationships of the cardiovascular structures. With advent of dual source CT scanners and use of advanced dose reduction techniques, this information can be obtained in a short time with minimal radiation dose. In this pictorial essay, we present the multidetector CT imaging findings of the spectrum of total and partial anomalous pulmonary venous connections, using a third-generation dual source CT scanner.