Endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) is a commonly performed procedure for the evaluation of cardiac tissue for transplant monitoring ( Video 173.1 ), myocarditis, drug toxicity, cardiomyopathy, and secondary cardiac involvement by systemic diseases and for diagnosis of cardiac masses. , This…
Aortitis is a general and nonspecific term that refers to a broad group of infectious and noninfectious conditions in which there is abnormal inflammation of the aortic wall. These inflammatory conditions have different clinical and morphologic features and variable prognoses.…
Postsurgical Imaging of the Aortic Root and Aorta Advances in imaging have raised expectations of improved outcomes for both emergency and elective surgery of the aorta. These advances have allowed early diagnosis and more prompt surgical intervention. Simultaneous with improvements…
Echocardiography has greatly enhanced the field of cardiology. However, optimal use of echocardiography requires the ability to recognize and differentiate pathological conditions from normal cardiac structures and their variants that may simulate serious pathology. Although errors can occur with both…
Mitral Annular Calcification Rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) is, by far, the most common cause of left ventricular (LV) inflow obstruction. Less common cause are listed in Box 92.1 . Among these, a heavily calcified mitral annulus is the most often…
Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most common cardiac valve lesion in developed countries, including North America and Europe, with an incidence of 2% to 9% in patients older than 65 years of age. Moreover, the incidence is increasing as the…
Congenital Aortic Stenosis Bicuspid Aortic Valve Congenital aortic valve malformation reflects a phenotypic continuum of unicuspid valve (severe form), bicuspid valve (moderate form), tricuspid valve (normal, but may be abnormal), and the rare quadricuspid forms. Bicuspid aortic valves (BAVs) are…
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a primary disease of cardiac muscle characterized by a hypertrophied, nondilated left ventricle unassociated with other cardiac diseases that can reasonably account for the magnitude of hypertrophy present. The distribution of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), the…