Imaging in Emergency and Critical Care Medicine
Right-to-left shunt secondary to duplicated superior vena cava as etiology of ischemic stroke
Abstract
Duplication of superior vena cava (SVC) has an estimated prevalence of 0.3%. Incomplete regression of anterior cardinal vein can lead to persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) and is associated with chronic hypoxemia and predisposition to systemic embolization from right-to-left shunt. Blood drainage to the left atrium is extremely rare.
