POSTERIOR RIGHT DIAGONAL ARTERY - AN ANGIOGRAPHIC STUDY

The purpose of this prospectively performed study was the angiographic visualization of the posterior right diagonal artery (PRDA) and its d ifferentiation from the epicardial branches of the right coronary arte ry (RCA), that is, the right marginal artery and the posterior descend ing artery (PDA). The authors prospectively studied the angiographic f indings of 607 patients who underwent coronary angiography. The incide nce of the angiographically demonstrated PRDA and its distinction from other epicardial branches arising from the distal third of the RCA wa s the main point of interest. Two types of PDA in those cases where PR DA was present were also demonstrated. Of the patients examined, 535 h ad dominant right coronary circulation, 59 had left dominant coronary circulation, and 13 had balanced coronary circulation. PRDA was presen t in 81 patients with right dominant coronary circulation (15.1%), in 2 patients with balanced coronary circulation (15.4%), and in none wit h left dominant coronary circulation. PRDA was revealed in 48 (40%) of 120 patients with a short PDA and in only 33 (8%) of 415 patients hav ing long PDA. It is imperative to search always for the PRDA, when one is studying coronary arteriographies, bearing in mind that this arter y may perfuse the inferior part of the posterior interventricular sept um and the adjoining area, depending on the type of PDA.