Myocardial bridge

Abstract

Myocardial bridging (MB) is an anatomical variant in which an epicardial coronary artery passes under a bridge of myocardium. The most commonly affected vessel is the left anterior descending coronary artery, although other branches such as the marginal branches, diagonal branches and posterior descending right coronary artery may be occasionally involved. Technological advances in radiological techniques have enabled better diagnosis of myocardial bridges especially coronary angiography and coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA). During a routine angiography by means of CCTA in a 60-year-old male patient with arrhythmia, a case of MB was found in two segments of the posterior interventricular artery and a small segment of the right coronary artery. Although most cases of myocardial bridges are asymptomatic, knowledge of its pathophysiology is of great clinical importance as some cases of MBs have been associated with acute coronary syndromes, ischaemia, arrhythmias and even sudden death.

Keywords: angiography; coronary computed tomographic angiography; intramyocardial coronary artery; myocardial bridges; posterior interventricular artery; right coronary artery.