Confluent Vein-Like Structure Behind the Left Atrium in Late Gestation: A Case With False-Positive Suspicion of Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection.
Jun Sakata, Munekage Yamaguchi, Fumiya Miyamura et al.
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Case in brief
A 34-year-old woman at 36 weeks of gestation underwent fetal echocardiography, revealing a tubular structure behind the left atrium, initially suggesting a confluent vein and raising concerns for pulmonary venous anomalies. However, postnatal imaging confirmed normal drainage of all four pulmonary veins into the left atrium, identifying the structure as the left superior pulmonary vein and highlighting a false-positive prenatal diagnosis.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Slight cranial angulation from the standard four-chamber view during fetal echocardiography can help accurately visualize the left superior pulmonary vein, reducing the risk of misdiagnosing anomalous pulmonary venous connections.