Eustachian valve
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
At the time the article was created Matt A. Morgan had no recorded disclosures.
View Matt A. Morgan's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Daniel J Bell had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Daniel J Bell's current disclosures- Eustachian ridge
- Valve of the inferior vena cava
The Eustachian valve, also known as the "valve of the inferior vena cava", is a ridge of variable thickness in the inferior right atrium. It is a remnant of a fetal structure that directed incoming oxygenated blood to the foramen ovale and away from the right atrium.
Radiographic features
Incomplete regression of the Eustachian valve results in a thickened ridge at the IVC/RA junction, which can occasionally be thick enough to mimic thrombus or a right atrial mass on echocardiography, cardiac CT, or cardiac MRI.
Clinical importance
A thickened Eustachian valve may also interfere with placement of an atrial septal defect or patent foramen ovale closure device.
References
- 1. Broderick LS, Brooks GN, Kuhlman JE. Anatomic pitfalls of the heart and pericardium. Radiographics. 2005;25 (2): 441-53. doi:10.1148/rg.252045075 - Pubmed citation
- 2. Kydd AC, McNab D, Calvert PA et-al. The eustachian ridge: not an innocent bystander. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2014;7 (10): 1062-3. doi:10.1016/j.jcmg.2014.02.011 - Pubmed citation
- 3. Yavuz T, Nazli C, Kinay O et-al. Giant eustachian valve with echocardiographic appearance of divided right atrium. Tex Heart Inst J. 2003;29 (4): 336-8. Free text at pubmed - Pubmed citation
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