A. Lopezcandales et al., UNUSUAL ACCELERATED PROGRESSION OF SACCULAR ANEURYSMS IN AN ECTATIC RIGHT CORONARY-ARTERY, Canadian journal of cardiology, 12(11), 1996, pp. 1201-1204
Localized aneurysmal dilation or ectasia of coronary arteries is a rel
atively uncommon angio graphic finding, of which the pathophysiologica
l mechanism remains speculative. The majority of patients diagnosed wi
th this clinical entity usually present with angina pectoris. Furtherm
ore, it is rare to find isolated ectasia or aneurysm dilation of the c
oronary arteries in patients with no prior history of coronary artery
disease. The natural course is usually slowly progressive. This case d
emonstrates an unusual accelerated dilation of coronary saccular aneur
ysms, within a year of diagnosis, in a patient who presented with new
onset congestive heart failure. Although the diagnosis was made with c
oronary angiography, both magnetic resonance imaging and transesophage
al echocardiography were of critical diagnostic value to identify the
size and extension of the aneurysms as well as the presence of intralu
minal thrombi.