Pulmonary artery “stop-flow” angiography to visualize the anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery in infants

Summary

In five infants, anomalous left coronary from the pulmonary artery (ALCA) was diagnosed by selective pulmonary artery angiography using the “stop flow” technique: the left pulmonary artery was occluded by inflating a balloon and a large bolus of dye was injected proximal to the balloon at a high flow velocity. These conditions, by increasing pulmonary artery pressure, increase the chances of imaging directly an ALCA. It also leaves the left pulmonary artery branches free of contrast medium and allows easier visualization of ALCA, mainly in the antero-posterior view. When an ALCA is injected from the pulmonary artery, left heart catheterization can be avoided. However, a false-negative result is to be expected in specific conditions and was observed in one of our patients. If pulmonary angiography fails to prove a ALCA, left heart catheterization remains mandatory to exclude the diagnosis.