Diagnosis

If PAPVR occurs with other heart defects, it may be diagnosed soon after birth. If the condition is mild, it may not be diagnosed until adulthood.

The doctor will perform a physical exam and listen to the heart with a stethoscope to check for a heart murmur.

An echocardiogram is generally used to diagnose total anomalous pulmonary venous return. This test uses sound waves to create images of the heart in motion. An echocardiogram can show pulmonary veins, holes in the heart and the size of the heart chambers. It can also measure the speed of blood flow.

Other tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), a chest X-ray, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan or a computerized tomography (CT) scan may be done if more information is needed.