ONTOGENETIC METHOD OF CLASSIFYING CARDIAC POSITION

¹ From Radiology Service, Walter Reed General Hospital, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D. C.

A simplified, essentially all inclusive, method for determination and classification of cardiac position is presented which is extremely useful in its practical application to cardiovascular radiology. It makes use of the three major embryologic steps that lead to a spatial position of the heart in the thorax: viscero-atrial situs, bulboventricular loop, and rotation. It is recommended that after these three aspects are determined, no further terminology need be used in the classification. The syndromes of asplenia, polysplenia, and interruption of the inferior vena cava with azygos continuation associated with severe cyanotic congenital heart disease should be included in a group referred to as situs incertus. With this technique the great majority of cases can be easily classified.

A recent theory advanced by Campbell and Deuchar² lends support to the common grouping of asplenia, polysplenia, interruption of the inferior vena cava and transverse liver with uncertainties of situs because of a proposed common embryologic basis.

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