Prenatal Diagnosis of Vascular Ring with Right Aortic Arch

Abstract

The diagnosis of vascular ring with right aortic arch allows

early treatment after birth preventing morbidity in

infants and older children.

We describe the sonographic findings of two patients

with right-sided aortic arch associated with aberrant left

subclavian artery and left ductus arteriosus.

Two women at 24 weeks pregnant aged 18 and 24

years old underwent a thorough echocardiographic evaluation

of the fetal heart by targeted visualization of the

three-vessel view at the Cardiocentro Pediátrico “William

Soler”, using an ATL HDI 5000 ultrasound machine made

in USA with a 3 MHz transducer.

The presence of a right-sided aortic arch, left ductus

arteriosus and aberrant left subclavian artery was

detected in both cases. Color Doppler ultrasound demonstrated

the presence of Kommerell’s diverticulum.

One of the fetus also presented Tetralogy of Fallot and

the woman opted for abortion. Both prenatal diagnoses

were confirmed, one by postnatal echocardiography and

the other by histopathological study.

The presence of right-sided aortic arch, left ductus

arteriosus and aberrant left subclavian artery is an

uncommon anomaly that can be detected by prenatal

ultrasound.