The role of electrocardiogram in the diagnosis of dextrocardia with mirror image atrial arrangement and ventricular position in a young adult Nigerian in Ile-Ife: a case report

Dextrocardia with situs inversus is a rare congenital disease. In patients with this condition, the heart is presented as a mirror image of itself with its apex pointing to the right. The pulmonary and abdominal anatomies are reversed. Dextrocardia with situs inversus occurs at birth but its diagnosis may be in adulthood. This case advances knowledge by graphically describing the unusual electrocardiographic features of dextrocardia in a young adult.

We report a case of a 22-year-old Nigerian man of Yoruba ethnicity who presented himself for preadmission medical test. He had a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram which revealed uncommon features: inversion of P waves in leads I, aVL and aVR; dominantly negative QRS waves in leads I, V1 to V6; reverse R wave progression in chest leads; low voltage in V4 to V6; extreme QRS axis; flattened T waves in V4 to V6 and aVR; and inverted T waves in lead I and aVL. An electrocardiogram diagnosis of dextrocardia was made. The differential diagnosis considered was right ventricular hypertrophy. A cardiovascular examination showed pulse rate of 70 beats per minute, blood pressure of 119/62mmHg, visible cardiac impulse at right precordium, apex beat was located at his fifth right intercostal space mid-clavicular line. A chest X-ray (posterior anterior view) including upper abdomen showed dextrocardia; his aortic arch was located on the right. His stomach bubble was located below his right hemidiaphragm. His trachea was slightly deviated to the left. The findings in his lung fields were not remarkable. Abdominopelvic ultrasonography showed that right-sided intra-abdominal organs (liver, gallbladder) were located on the left while left-sided organs (stomach, spleen) were located on the right. His abdominal aorta was on the right while his inferior vena cava was located on the left. A diagnosis of dextrocardia with situs inversus was made ultrasonographically.

A properly interpreted electrocardiogram was useful in suspecting the diagnosis of dextrocardia with situs inversus. So, an analysis of a relatively simple and non-invasive diagnostic tool such as an electrocardiogram allows for suspicion of a cardiovascular anomaly in a setting of scarce diagnostic resources.