Heart situs anomaly

Heart situs anomaly is a term used to describe a range of conditions that involve the abnormal positioning of the heart within the thoracic cavity. This can include conditions such as dextrocardia, where the heart is located on the right side of the chest, and levocardia, where the heart is on the left side but the structure is reversed.

Types of Heart Situs Anomaly

There are three main types of heart situs anomalies: situs solitus, situs inversus, and situs ambiguus.

Situs Solitus

In situs solitus, the normal positioning of the heart and other organs is reversed, a condition known as mirror image reversal. This is the most common type of heart situs anomaly.

Situs Inversus

Situs inversus is a condition in which the position of the heart and other organs is a mirror image of the normal positioning. This can occur with or without dextrocardia.

Situs Ambiguus

Situs ambiguus, also known as heterotaxy, is a condition in which the organs are abnormally arranged, but not in a mirror image. This can include conditions such as right atrial isomerism or left atrial isomerism, where there is duplication of the structures of one side of the body.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of heart situs anomalies typically involves imaging studies such as echocardiography, computed tomography (CT) scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These can help to visualize the position and structure of the heart and other organs.

Treatment

Treatment for heart situs anomalies depends on the specific condition and the presence of any associated heart defects. This can range from monitoring and medical management to surgical intervention.

See Also

• Congenital heart defect
• Cardiac surgery
• Pediatric cardiology