Multidetector computed tomographic anatomy of the coronary sinus in patients with supraventricular reentrant tachycardia

BACKGROUND: In a number of previous studies it has been observed that coronary sinus (CS) ostium was larger and cannulation was easier in patients with atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). AIM: To investigate the size and morphology of CS in AVNRT patients and compare them to those of atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT) patients and a control group using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), which is a non-invasive technique. METHODS: Eighteen consecutive patients with AVNRT who were scheduled for catheter ablation in our institution constituted the study population. Sixteen patients with AVRT and 16 patients without supraventricular arrhythmia who underwent MDCT for other indications comprised the control group. A conventional transthoracic echocardiography was performed to all patients. The diameter of the CS at ostium as well as at 5, 10, and 15 mm inside the CS were measured on MDCT images. The CS was also categorised according to its morphology, as to whether it had a windsock shape or a tubular shape. RESULTS: The AVNRT, AVRT and control groups were similar with regard to age, gender, body surface area and echocardiographic parameters. The size of the CS ostium was 10.9 ± 3.0, 11.1 ± 3.9 and 12.5 ± 3.6 mm for the AVNRT, AVRT and control groups, respectively (p = 0.393). There was no significant difference in the size of the CS from the ostium until 15 mm into the CS between the AVNRT, AVRT and control groups. The number of patients with windsock or tubular CS morphology were also similar between the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to previous reports, the CS size and morphology of patients with AVNRT did not differ from that of AVRT or control patients.