Role of Imaging for Suspected Cardiac Thrombus.

Purpose Of Review: Cardiac thrombus formation is a frequent complication of a variety of prevalent diseases. Embolism of cardiac thrombus has the potential to result in significant morbidity and mortality from cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular events.

Recent Findings: Echocardiography is the most commonly used imaging modality for diagnosing intracardiac thrombus.

"Malignant" Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Identifies Subjects at High Risk for Progression to Asymptomatic Left Ventricular Dysfunction, Heart Failure, and Death: MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis).

Background: As heart failure (HF)-associated morbidity and mortality continue to escalate, enhanced focus on prevention is increasingly important. "Malignant" left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH): LVH combined with an elevated cardiac biomarker reflecting either injury (high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T), or strain (amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) has predicted accelerated progression to HF. We sought to determine whether malignant LVH identified community-dwelling adults initially free of cardiovascular disease at high risk of asymptomatic decline in LV ejection fraction or a clinical cardiovascular event.

CT measurement of central pulmonary arteries to diagnose pulmonary hypertension (PHTN): more reliable than valid?

Unlabelled: The association between main pulmonary artery (MPA) size and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAHTN) is well established; however, the clinical utility of routine measurement of MPA is uncertain due to considerable overlap between normal patients and those with pulmonary hypertension. The lack of diagnostic accuracy could be further degraded by variability among the radiologists. It is unknown whether the addition of right and left pulmonary artery measurements would improve accuracy or further impair it.

Gerbode Defect as a Result of Fungal Aortic Valve Endocarditis.

A 63-year-old male patient with HIV disease presented with dyspnea and complete heart block, and was found to have aortic valve (AV) endocarditis secondary to Candida parapsilosis infection. Echocardiography demonstrated AV endocarditis and possible aortic root versus subannular abscess with moderate AV regurgitation (AR), a ventricular septal defect (VSD) and possible left ventricular to right atrial shunt (Gerbode defect). Large AV vegetations, subannular abscess with an acquired membranous VSD, Gerbode defect, and tricuspid annular abscess at the insertion of septal leaflet were noted intraoperatively.