Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery: the role of multislice computed tomography [MSCT]

ABSTRACT

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery [ALCAPA] is a rare congenital coronary abnormality also known as Bland-White-Garland syndrome. The incidence of ALCAPA is about 1 in every 300,000 live births, and constitutes 0.24% and 0.46% of all congenital cardiac disease. It has a high infant mortality rate reaching up to 90% if left untreated. For many years, the diagnosis of ALCAPA was by angiography or autopsy. However, multislice computed tomography [MSCT] is a non-invasive imaging tool that allows accurate, non-invasive diagnosis of ALCAPA. Here we report a case of ALCAPA in a six-month-old girl who presented with a two-week history of cough, fever, tachypnea, and sweating during feeding. During admission, an echocardiogram was performed that revealed ALCAPA, which was confirmed using CT. We discuss the role of MSCT in its diagnosis