Retroaortic Anomalous Coronary Artery Visualization on Transthoracic Echocardiogram

J Cardiovasc Echogr. 2021 Jul-Sep;31(3):179-180. doi: 10.4103/jcecho.jcecho_6_21. Epub 2021 Oct 26.

Abstract

Incidental findings are not uncommon in echocardiography. A transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) of an adult woman with arterial hypertension showed a tubular structure with hyperechoic walls in the atrial side of the atrioventricular groove in apical views. Coronary computed tomography angiography correlated this finding with a retroaortic course of the anomalous circumflex artery (retroaortic anomalous coronary artery [RAC], benign coronary artery variant). Recently described as the RAC sign on TTE, practitioners should be aware of this finding to avoid mistaken it as artifacts, catheters/leads, or calcified mitral annulus.

Keywords: Coronary vessel anomalies; computed tomography angiography; incidental findings; transthoracic echocardiography.

Publication types

  • Case Reports