Right-to-left shunt (mnemonic)

A useful mnemonic to remember the differential diagnoses associated with right-to-left cardiovascular shunts is:

• 1-5

Mnemonic

• 1: a combination vessel; truncus arteriosus
• 2: number of arteries involved; transposition of the great arteries
• 3: "tri-" means 3, the number of leaflets involved; tricuspid atresia
• 4: "tetra-" means 4; tetralogy of Fallot
• 5: number of words; total anomalous pulmonary venous return, a right-to-left shunt is required for survival