Objective To summarise the data of clinical feature, accompanied abnormities and imaging diagnosis of cor triatriatum in 23 cases enlisted in the study.

Methods From January 1993 to June 2005, twenty-three patients, 13 males and 10 females with a mean age of (9.6 ± 10.0) years (range 0.3 from 38 years) were studied. All cases were cor triatriatum laevus. Twenty-one of 23 patients were identified in surgery. Complete cor triatriatum in 15 case and incomplete cor triatriatum in 6. Electrocardiogram show that right unsymmetrical cardial axle was in 18 patients and nomal cardial axle in 4. Eight cases had lung congestion in x-ray.

Results Echocardiogram diagnosed 12 in 23 cases before surgery. Heart catheter exam diagnosed 4 in 10 cases. sixteen of 21 cases accompanied other abnormities. Main malformations included atrial septal defeat (n = 14), partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (n = 6), pulmonary stenosis (n = 3), persistent left superior vena cava (n = 3). Seven of 21 patients had no atrial septal defeat.

Conclusions cor triatriatum had great variation in clinical feature and complicated other malformations in high ratio. Color doppler imaging has high worthiness of diagnosis of cor triatriatum, but misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis rate is high in cor triatriatum accompanied other malformations. Heart catheter exam have missed diagnosis to cor triatriatum, but have higher diagnosis rate to accompanied abnormities. Surgical exploration is very important in cor triatriatum accompanied other malformations.