CTICasesAnomalous Subaortic Left Brachiocephalic Vein
Imaging findings
Contrast-enhanced chest CT demonstrates an anomalous course of the left brachiocephalic vein, which courses inferiorly, diving underneath the aortic arch through the aortopulmonary window before joining the right brachiocephalic vein to form a short-segment superior vena cava.
Key takeaways
A subaortic left brachiocephalic vein is a rare congenital systemic venous anomaly resulting from persistent embryonic connections. Recognizing this variant is crucial to avoid misinterpreting the subaortic vessel as adenopathy, a mediastinal mass, or a persistent left superior vena cava, particularly during cardiac surgery or central venous catheterization.
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