Abstract
To characterize pulmonary vein (PV) anatomy and the relative position of the PV ostia
to the adjacent thoracic vertebral bodies, two readers reviewed 176 computed tomography
pulmonary venous studies. PV ostial dimensions were measured and PV ovality assessed.
Anatomical variations in PV drainage were noted. The position of the PV ostium relative
to the nearest vertebral body edge was recorded. Right PV ostia were significantly
more circular than the left (p<.001). Anatomical variability was greater for right
PVs: 82% of patients had 2 ostia, 17% had 3 ostia, 0.5% had 4 ostia and 0.5% a common
ostium. For left PVs, 91% of patients had 2 ostia, 8.5% a common ostium and 0.5% 3
ostia. Mean ostial distances from vertebral margin were: right PVs 3.62±7.48 mm; left
PVs 3.84±8.46 mm (p=.72). 65% of right upper PV, 60.5% of right lower PV, 51% of left
upper PV and 57% of left lower PV ostia were positioned lateral to vertebral bodies.
Right PV ostia are rounder than left-sided and right PV drainage is more variable.
As a significant proportion of PV ostia overlap the vertebral bodies, prior anatomical
evaluation by CT can assist catheter ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation (AF),
especially when performed under fluoroscopy.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 11, 2010
Accepted:
November 10,
2009
Received:
September 2,
2009
Identification
Copyright
© 2011 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
