Cardiovascular Imaging

Situs inversus

mirror image arrangement of body organs compared to normal, situs solitus. Situs inversus is defined by morphologic right lung, right atrium and inferior vena cava on the left. Rather than the D loop of situs solitus, there is a L loop. The cardiac apex is right-sided. The liver is leftsided and the stomach is right-sided. There is a slightly increased incidence of congenital heart disease notably corrected transposition. Chest X-ray demonstrates the aortic arch, cardiac apex and stomach on the right side. Echocardiography, CT and MRI can document the presence of situs inversus.

CBH