Introduction Among cardiac masses, the three most common types are tumors, thrombi, and vegetation. However, there are a variety of other structures that can be misinterpreted as cardiac tumors. These include normal anatomic structures or variants of the heart, abnormal…
Introduction The first demonstration of a left atrial myxoma by ultrasound occurred in Germany in 1959. Since then echocardiography has evolved to become the usual initial modality for detecting a cardiac tumor. Cardiac neoplasms are found in only 1%–2% of…
Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome characterized by fatigue, breathlessness, and edema caused by an abnormality of heart function. While the etiologies of HF differ, and HF can occur with reduced or preserved ejection fraction, or with low or…
Introduction Substantial changes in cardiac structure can occur in the months to years following a completed myocardial infarct (MI), particularly if the culprit coronary artery supplied a large territory or flow was not rapidly restored. These changes may be clinically…
Introduction There is a short list of structural complications of which every cardiologist and sonographer must be aware that may arise in the subacute period after myocardial infarct (MI), that, within the first week ( Box 19.1 ). These are…
Introduction Acute myocardial infarction (MI), the classic “heart attack,” is caused by the sudden loss of blood flow and oxygenation to the heart muscle due to complete occlusion of a coronary artery. The risk factors, clinical presentation, and serial changes…
Introduction Echocardiography can be used appropriately to diagnose and triage emergent situations. The life-threatening pathologies in which real-time assessment by echocardiography can be critical include pericardial tamponade, aortic dissection, acute myocardial infarction (MI), acute pulmonary embolus (PE), and cardiac trauma.…