Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography
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J Am Soc Echocardiogr · Mar 2005
Case ReportsCalcified right ventricular mass and pulmonary embolism in a previously healthy young woman.
A 20-year-old woman with a recent episode of pulmonary embolism was found by echocardiographic examination to have a calcified apical right ventricular intracavitary mass. She had a history of cigarette smoking and had been taking oral contraceptive pills. At age 17 years, she had sustained substantial blunt chest injury during a motor vehicle accident. ⋯ It is postulated that its development was related to cardiac trauma. These intracavitary masses have been referred to as cardiac calcified amorphous tumors and generally represent old organized and focally calcified mural thrombus. They should be distinguished from calcified benign or malignant neoplasms of the heart.
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J Am Soc Echocardiogr · Mar 2005
Combined transesophageal echocardiography and transesophageal cardioversion probe: technical aspects.
A probe assembly for simultaneous transesophageal echocardiography and transesophageal cardioversion has been developed. This probe allows cardioversion with the delivery of much lower energy than the standard external approach. Details of the probe construction and its use are described, as is the prospect for future practice. The use of a combined probe may be the technique of choice for patients who require both cardioversion and transesophageal echocardiography.
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J Am Soc Echocardiogr · Feb 2005
Comparative StudyClinical, laboratory, and transesophageal echocardiographic correlates of interatrial septal thickness: a population-based transesophageal echocardiographic study.
The determinants of interatrial septal (IAS) thickening ("lipomatous hypertrophy"), a common echocardiographic finding in the elderly, are poorly defined. The objective of this study was to determine the clinical, laboratory, and transesophageal echocardiographic correlates of IAS thickening in the general population. ⋯ IAS thickening is an age-associated process. Atherosclerosis risk factors are weakly associated with IAS thickening, whereas atherosclerotic vascular disease is not.
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J Am Soc Echocardiogr · Jan 2005
Diastolic stress echocardiography: a novel noninvasive diagnostic test for diastolic dysfunction using supine bicycle exercise Doppler echocardiography.
Left ventricular filling pressures can be estimated reliably by combining mitral inflow early diastolic velocity (E) and annulus velocity (E'). An increased E/E' ratio reflects elevated filling pressures and may be useful in assessing an abnormal increase in filling pressures for patients with diastolic dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of supine bicycle exercise Doppler echocardiography for assessing left ventricular diastolic pressure during exercise. ⋯ Although the percentage of dyspnea as a primary reason for stopping exercise was similar for the groups, exercise duration was significantly shorter for groups 1B (7.2 +/- 2.5 minutes) and 2 (7.1 +/- 3.3 minutes) than in group 1A (10.4 +/- 3.7 minutes, P = .0129). Diastolic stress echocardiography using a supine bicycle is technically feasible for demonstrating changes in E/E' (filling pressure) with exercise. Our preliminary results suggest the hemodynamic consequences of exercise-induced increase in diastolic filling pressure can be demonstrated noninvasively with exercise Doppler echocardiography.