The Conus, What is it?

Conus, What is It?

As you go to conferences, you will hear more and more about the conus and its' importance. The conus is simply the pyramidal structure that is the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT). The AV valve apparatus and the semi-lunar valve structure (conotruncal apparatus), is essentially the skeleton of the heart that is a fibromuscular structure that forms the valves of the heart.

The entire AV, conotruncal apparatus forms together, and it is a fibromuscular structure that essentially attaches to the muscular parts of the heart (ventricles and atria) in varying degrees. Everything grows from the outside of the heart towards the center, and many defects occur when everything does not meet up in the center of the heart or the crux of the heart.

The Conus

It is essentially the RVOT, and is much longer and a pyramidal structure that is primarily fibrous in nature, whereas the LVOT is a shorter, primarily muscular structure.. The fibrous structures merge into the muscular parts of the heart in varying ways, as described above.

If the conus fails to develop properly, it can lead to numerous right sided heart defects, from tetralogy of fallot, to pulmonary atresia.

The RVOT is perpendicular to the LVOT, and it is important to image these structures appropriately.