MRI of pseudoaneurysm of a brachial venous coronary bypass graft

Abstract

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is being performed all over the world, with major success in the management of ischemic heart disease and angina pectoris. Complications of bypass grafting include partial or total graft reocclusion, and less common entities such as aneurysm or pseudoaneurysm formation. Noninvasive imaging procedures exist which can help include or exclude the presence of these unusual types of complications when mass-like abnormalities are seen on a chest X-ray following coronary artery bypass grafting. This case specifically illustrates the usefulness of ultrafast magnetic resonance imaging techniques in the evaluation and diagnosis of pseudoaneurysm formation at the site of coronary artery bypass graft.