Pseudodyskinesis of the inferior left ventricular wall: recognizing an echocardiographic mimic of myocardial infarction

Insights Into the Standard Echocardiographic Views From Multimodality Imaging: Ventricles, Pericardium, Valves, and Atria

The widespread use of cardiac computed tomography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in patients undergoing echocardiography presents an opportunity to correlate the images side by side. Accordingly, the aim of this report is to review aspects of the standard echocardiographic examination alongside similarly oriented images from the two tomographic imaging modalities. It is hoped that this exercise will enhance understanding of the structures depicted by echocardiography as they relate to other structures in the thorax. In addition to reviewing basic cardiac anatomy, the authors take advantage of these correlations with computed tomography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to better understand the issue of foreshortening, a common pitfall in transthoracic echocardiography. The authors also highlight an important role that three-dimensional echocardiography can potentially play in the future, especially as advances in image processing permit higher fidelity multiplanar reconstruction images.

Postsurgical Left Atrial Compression due to Hemopericardium Resulting in Liver Failure: A Rare Cause of Cardiac Tamponade

• Postoperative pericardial effusion may cause left-sided chamber compression. • Focal left-sided cardiac tamponade may present with atypical clinical or echo findings. • Focal tamponade can result in acute liver failure post–cardiac surgery.

Left atrial compression and right ventricular outflow tract diameter on echocardiography are independently associated with exercise capacity in patients with large hiatal hernia

INTRODUCTION

Large hiatal hernia (HH) is often associated with left atrial (LA) compression, anteroposterior cardiac compression (manifesting as reduced right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) diameter), and left ventricular (LV) compression (manifesting as systolic paradoxical outward motion (LV-PM) of the posterobasal LV segment). Exercise impairment, also common in this population, improves following HH surgery. We aimed to identify echocardiographic parameters independently associated with exercise impairment due to HH-mediated cardiogenic compression.

METHODS

Patients with a large HH (>30% intra-thoracic stomach, n = 163) referred for cardiac evaluation were included. Echocardiographic parameters were retrospectively analyzed in relation to HH-related LA compression severity and the presence of LV-PM. Echocardiographic parameters independently associated with exercise capacity were identified by multivariable analysis.

RESULTS

Mean baseline metabolic equivalents were reduced (70 ± 28% predicted). Moderate-severe LA compression and LV-PM were present in 91 of 163 (56%) and 65 of 162 (40%) patients, respectively. Patients with moderate-severe LA compression and LV-PM had decreased LA and LV dimensions. Moderate-severe LA compression was also associated with reduced RVOT diameter while LV-PM predicted a greater reduction in LV volumes. LA compression and RVOT diameter were independently associated with baseline exercise capacity and increased following HH surgery performed in a subgroup (n = 72, LA diameter: 14 ± 5 vs 20 ± 4 mm/m² ; RVOT diameter: 17 ± 3 vs 19 ± 3 mm/m² , P < .001 for both). Conversely, LV-PM was not independently associated with exercise capacity.

CONCLUSION

Hiatal hernia-related cardiac compression reduces LA and RVOT dimensions. These parameters are independently associated with baseline exercise capacity and improve following HH surgery. LV-PM is associated with decreased LV volumes but not exercise capacity in this population.

Fact or Artifact in Two-Dimensional Echocardiography: Avoiding Misdiagnosis and Missed Diagnosis

Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography is the most widely used noninvasive imaging modality for the evaluation and diagnosis of cardiac pathology. However, because of the physical properties of ultrasound waves and specifics in ultrasound image reconstruction, cardiologists are often confronted with ultrasound image artifacts. It is particularly important to recognize such artifacts in order to avoid misdiagnosis of conditions ranging from aortic dissection to thrombosis and endocarditis. This overview article summarizes the most common image artifacts encountered in routine clinical practice, along with explanations of their physical mechanisms and guidance in avoiding their misinterpretation.