Korean J Radiol.  2011 Jun;12(3):395-399. 10.3348/kjr.2011.12.3.395.

Individual Pulmonary Vein Atresia in Adults: Report of Two Cases

• Lee HN
• Kim YT
• Cho SS

• KMID: 1122339
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/kjr.2011.12.3.395

Abstract

We present two cases of individual pulmonary vein atresia without vestige of an involved pulmonary vein. On CT, we noted the absence or interruption of normal pulmonary venous structures, and the presence of abnormal vascular structures that represented collaterals for the involved lung parenchyma. On angiography, the atretic pulmonary vein was found to drain into the other ipsilateral pulmonary veins through the collaterals.

Keyword

Pulmonary vein atresia; Multidetector CT; Pulmonary angiography; Individual pulmonary vein atresia

MeSH Terms

Adult
*Angiography
Diagnosis, Differential
Humans
Male
Pulmonary Atresia/*radiography
Pulmonary Veins/*radiography
*Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Lobar pulmonary vein atresia of right lower lobe in 32-year-old man. A. Serial axial images show low-attenuation linear structure (arrows) between right inferior pulmonary vein and left atrium, as well as prominent right superior pulmonary vein(s). Right pulmonary artery is not hypoplastic compared with left pulmonary artery. Also note abnormally enlarged vascular structure (double arrows) near right pulmonary artery, suggesting presence of collateral between superior pulmonary vein and interrupted inferior pulmonary vein on angiogram. B. Reformatted oblique sagittal image shows atretic right inferior pulmonary vein (black arrow). C. Serial axial images with lung setting show multiple dot-like collaterals between superior pulmonary vein and atretic inferior pulmonary vein in right lower lobe. D. Reformatted coronal image shows tortuous and dot-like collaterals (black arrowheads) in superior segment of right lower lobe. E. Angiogram of right lower lobe shows atretic right inferior pulmonary vein (double arrowheads) draining into superior pulmonary vein (arrowhead) through collaterals.

• 

  Fig. 2 Segmental pulmonary vein atresia of apical segment from right upper lobe in 43-year-old man. A. Slap axial images with lung setting show tortuous and dot-like collaterals in anterior segment of right upper lobe. In addition, abnormal tubular vascular structure (arrowhead) is present in anterior segment of right upper lobe. This finding is consistent with imaging findings of pulmonary arteriovenous malformation, but we diagnosed it as collateral, from apical segment to anterior segment of right upper lobe on pulmonary angiography. B. Serial axial images show absence of right superior pulmonary vein in normal position and presence of collaterals (arrowhead) draining into segmental pulmonary vein of right upper lobe. C. Angiogram of apical segment of right upper lobe shows that apical segmental pulmonary vein is interrupted (arrow) and drains into another segmental pulmonary vein through collaterals (arrowhead).

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