Noninvasive evaluation of coronary sinus anatomy and its relation to the mitral valve annulus: implications for percutaneous mitral annuloplasty.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous mitral annuloplasty has been proposed as an alternative to surgical annuloplasty. In this respect, evaluation of the coronary sinus (CS) and its relation with the mitral valve annulus (MVA) and the coronary arteries is relevant. The feasibility of evaluating these issues noninvasively with multislice computed tomography was determined.

METHODS AND RESULTS: In 105 patients (72 men, age 59+/-11 years), 64-slice multislice computed tomography was performed for noninvasive evaluation of coronary artery disease. Thirty-four patients with heart failure and/or severe mitral regurgitation were included. Three-dimensional reconstructions and standard orthogonal planes were used to assess CS anatomy and its relation with the MVA and circumflex artery. In 71 patients (68%), the circumflex artery coursed between the CS and the MVA with a minimal distance between the CS and the circumflex artery of 1.3+/-1.0 mm. The CS was located along the left atrial wall, rather than along the MVA, in the majority of the patients (ranging from 90% at the level of the MVA to 14% at the level of the distal CS). The minimal distance between the CS and MVA was 5.1+/-2.9 mm. In patients with severe mitral regurgitation, the minimal distance between the CS and the MVA was significantly greater as compared with patients without severe mitral regurgitation (mean 7.3+/-3.9 mm versus 4.8+/-2.5 mm, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: In the majority of the patients, the CS courses superiorly to the MVA. In 68% of the patients, the circumflex artery courses between the CS and the mitral annulus. Multislice computed tomography may provide useful information for the selection of potential candidates for percutaneous mitral annuloplasty.