False-Positive Prenatal Suspicion of Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection: A Benign Confluence Variant Clarified by Cardiac CT.
Wei Yan, Min Chen, Zhilin Zhong et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
Prenatal ultrasound raised suspicion of partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection (PAPVC). After birth, echocardiography—limited by acoustic windows and influenced by the prenatal interpretation—also suggested pulmonary venous drainage into the right atrium. Cardiac CT angiography instead showed a benign pulmonary venous confluence variant draining entirely into the left atrium. CT also identified mediastinal lung herniation, bronchial stenosis, and intralobar pulmonary sequestration, findings suggestive of a Scimitar-like variant. Surgery was declined, and the patient was managed conservatively.
What made this case unusual
Prenatal and postnatal echocardiography both falsely suggested PAPVC; CT clarified the venous anatomy and also demonstrated several coexisting thoracic abnormalities suggestive of a Scimitar-like variant.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
When echocardiographic assessment of pulmonary venous drainage is limited or conflicts with the clinical picture, cardiac CT can clarify the anatomy and distinguish a benign confluence variant from PAPVC.