Use of Bioimpedance to Assess Changes in Hemodynamics During Acute Administration of CPAP.

Background: Attempts to investigate the mechanisms by which continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy improves heart function in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have been limited by the lack of non-invasive methods to assess cardiac performance. We used transthoracic electrical bioimpedance (TEB) to assess acute hemodynamic changes including heart rate (HR), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO) and cardiac index (CI) during PAP titration in (1) post-operative cardiac surgery patients, (2) patients with severe OSA, and (3) normal healthy volunteers.

Methods: Post-operative cardiac surgery patients were studied via TEB and pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) during acute titration of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) while mechanically ventilated.

Anomalous right coronary artery: a multimodality hunt for the origin.

Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ARCAPA) is a rare congenital anomaly. Although there have been several cases of ARCAPA reported in the literature, we present a case which highlights the challenges of diagnosing this rare condition and the incremental value of using multiple imaging modalities. A healthy 48 year old female presented with angina and exertional shortness of breath.

Primary cardiac diffuse large B cell lymphoma presenting with superior vena cava syndrome.

Primary cardiac lymphomas are rare extranodal lymphomas that should be distinguished from secondary cardiac involvement by disseminated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Cardiac lymphomas often mimic other cardiac neoplasms, including myxomas and angiosarcomas, and often require multimodality cardiac imaging, in combination with endomyocardial biopsy, excisional biopsy or pericardial fluid cytology, to establish a definitive diagnosis. A 60-year-old immunocompetent man who presented with superior vena cava syndrome secondary to a right atrial, primary cardiac diffuse large B cell lymphoma (non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) is described in the present article.

Primary cardiac lymphoma: molecular cytogenetic characterization of a rare entity.

Background: The majority of cardiac atrial neoplasms represent benign myxomas. Rarely, malignant cardiac neoplasms are encountered and can include primary cardiac neoplasms, as well as secondary tumors involving the heart. As many cardiac neoplasms lack pathognomonic clinical features, histopathologic diagnosis is crucial for classification and appropriate treatment of these neoplasms.