Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is a rare finding. We describe 5 patients with PLSVC diagnosed by a noninvasive approach, including two-dimensional (2D) echocardiogram, nuclear magnetic resonance and multislice computed tomography (MCT). In 4 cases the PLSVC was isolated ("alone PLSVC"), and in 1 case associated with a right superior vena cava.