This study describes the appearance of the coronary sinus and its tributary
veins as visualized on EGG-triggered electron-beam computed tomography (CT
) and investigates their spatial relationship to other cardiac structures.
Thirty-two patients were examined with EGG-triggered electron-beam CT (expo
sure time: 100 ms, slice thickness: 1.5 mm) after intravenous contrast agen
t administration. The entire heart was imaged; the appearance of the corona
ry sinus and its tributary veins were evaluated. In all 32 patients the ant
erior interventricular vein and the posterior interventricular vein drained
into the coronary sinus. The small cardiac vein was visualized in five pat
ients, a posterior vein of the left ventricle in three and the left margina
l vein in eleven. The coronary sinus of all 32 patients had a average lengt
h 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 i
f the entire heart volume is scanned using ECG-triggered electron-beam CT,
the delineation and the differentiation of the major cardiac veins is possi
ble on transverse cross sections in a way which corresponds to the anatomic
al literature. Hence to the similar enhancement and similar diameter of cor
onary veins and arteries on contrast-enhanced electron-beam CT studies, the
radiologist should be familiar with the cross-sectional anatomy of the maj
or cardiac veins to prevent possible misinterpretation.