Isolated absence of the right pulmonary artery with coexisting left-sided heart failure: case report and literature review.

ABSTRACT

Isolated unilateral absence of the pulmonary artery (UAPA) exhibits a benign course and often goes undiagnosed until adulthood. We present a 39-year-old male admitted for left-sided congestive heart failure (CHF) exacerbation. However, chest radiograph demonstrated findings suspicious for UAPA that was ultimately confirmed on computed tomography. Because both CHF and UAPA present similarly with exercise intolerance and dyspnea, a high index of suspicion is required to secure the diagnosis, and in this case, symptoms attributed to CHF may have contributed to delay. A strong awareness of typical radiographic findings allows for initiation of confirmatory tests necessary for a correct diagnosis.