ABSTRACT Primary cardiac tumors are rare, with an incidence between 0.0017 and 0.19%, and are asymptomatic in up to 72% of cases. Approximately 75% of tumors are benign, and nearly 50% of these are myxomas. Concerning location, 75% of myxomas are in the left atrium, 15 to 20% in the right atrium, and more rarely in the ventricles. The finding of cardiac myxomas usually implies immediate surgical excision to prevent embolic events and sudden cardiac death. Reports with documented growth […]

ABSTRACT Objective To examine the accuracy of a pulmonary hypertension screening strategy based on a combination of echocardiographic data and tomographic measurements (pulmonary artery diameter and pulmonary artery diameter to ascending aorta diameter ratio) in patients with chronic lung disease referred for lung transplantation. Methods A retrospective observational study with patients with pulmonary emphysema or fibrosis referred for transplantation between 2012 and 2016. Pulmonary hypertension was defined as mean pulmonary artery pressure ≥25mmHg, or between 21 and 24mmHg, with pulmonary […]

ABSTRACT A male patient with flu-like symptoms and tomography and laboratory diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome. He developed acute cardiac dysfunction during admission and was submitted to a cardiac magnetic resonance imaging examination, which confirmed acute myocarditis, indicating cardiac involvement by coronavirus disease 2019. A review and discussion about coronavirus disease 2019-related cardiac manifestations are reported, focusing on the imaging findings to make diagnosis.

ABSTRACT The echocardiography has become a vital tool in the diagnosis of critically ill patients. The use of echocardiography by intensivists has been increasing since the 1990’s. This tool has become a common procedure for the cardiovascular assessment of critically ill patients, especially because it is non-invasive and can be applied in fast and guided manner at the bedside. Physicians with basic training in echocardiography, both from intensive care unit or emergency department, can assess the left ventricle function properly […]

A 42 year-old woman was referred to our hospital with a history of fever and poor general status for the last 30 days. She presented tachycardia and a systolic apical murmur. Laboratory tests revealed leukocytosis of 13,100/mL, hemoglobin of 8.4g/dL and positive systemic lupus erythematosus antibodies (anti-Ro/SSA, anti-La/SSB, anticardiolipin, and antinuclear antibodies); blood culture was positive for Streptococcus gallolyticus. Three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography was performed and revealed multiple mitral valve vegetations, with leaflet perforation and important mitral regurgitation, as well as […]

The contrast agents used in ultrasound are approved for several clinical situations. New echocardiographic techniques, such as harmonic imaging and power pulse inversion imaging, can improve the visualization of microbubbles. In this article we discuss the early development of contrast echocardiography, new technologies that help improve image acquisition and its practical role in the assessment of myocardial infarction.

ABSTRACT Objective: The prognosis of patients with acute myocardial infarction depends on multiple features that can demonstrate myocardial injury degree (such as serum markers of cardiac necrosis), and also on adaptive mechanisms relative to the acute event. The aim of the study was to assess the relation between biochemical and echocardiographic findings from three-dimensional echocardiographic (3D Echo) analysis and echocardiographic two-dimensional (2D Echo) left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction, submitted to primary percutaneous treatment. […]