Coronary sinus visualization by 3-dimensional real-time echocardiography.

Background: Real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) to visualize the coronary sinus (CS) was compared with multislice cardiac tomography (MSCT).
Methods: In all, 37 consecutive patients undergoing MSCT received RT3DE a few hours later. Group A (n = 22) had normal left ventricular dimension/function, whereas group B (n = 15) had heart failure.
Results: The CS could be visualized in both groups (91% and 93%) with a significantly larger diameter in B. Systolic CS diameter was always larger than diastolic, but patients with heart failure showed significantly less difference (7.6% +/- 4.2% vs 12.2% +/- 6.1%, P < .05). When systolic and diastolic measurements were possible, MSCT and RT3DE agreed (Lin R = -0.09 [95% confidence interval 0.73-0.93]) but less so from the proximal to mid/distal segments (Lin R 0.90, 0.61, 0.41, respectively). Observers learned the procedure in approximately 5 minutes.
Conclusion: The CS can be visualized and quantitatively assessed by RT3DE in an easily learned procedure that agrees with MSCT results, especially in patients with heart failure.