Pulsed Doppler echocardiographic findings in a patient with cor triatriatum

Pulsed Doppler echocardiographic recordings were performed in a patient with cor triatiatum, associated with a persistant left superior vena cava draining into the true left atrium and an atrial septal defect between the true left atrium and the right atrium. The flow pattern in the accessory chamber with an apical four-chamber view showed a continuous low-velocity flow toward the transducer throughout the entire cardiac cycle, consistent with pulmonary venous drainage into the accessory chamber. The flow pattern in the true left atrium just below the opening of the membrane showed a relatively high-velocity flow that started with ventricular systole and stopped with atrial systole, suggesting flow passing through the opening from the accessory chamber to the true left atrium.