Coarctation of the aorta with left pulmonary artery stenosis: a rare association diagnosed with ECG-gated multislice dual-source CT angiography

Abstract

We report an extremely rare case of coarctation of the aorta with associated left pulmonary artery stenosis. This violates the traditional fetal flow pattern theory. Two-dimensional echocardiography, although being the initial imaging modality for diagnosing coarctation of the aorta, is limited in the demonstration of branch pulmonary arteries. Retrospective ECG-gated multidetector CT angiography is a non-invasive imaging technique for comprehensive assessment of the site, length and severity of the stenosed aortic segment. It is also helpful in differentiation of an interrupted aortic arch from severe coarctation. Associated pulmonary arterial and venous system anomalies can be evaluated, which dictates the management of aortic coarctation.