title: Superior vena caval thrombosis detected by transesophageal echocardiography.
abstract: Three patients with clinical suspicion of bacterial endocarditis, induced by either pacemaker or indwelling catheter, underwent transesophageal echocardiography. High short-axis cuts through the great vessels, however, revealed the presence of superior vena caval thrombus in all three patients. Transesophageal echocardiography is more sensitive in establishing the diagnosis of superior vena caval thrombus than surface echocardiography. Comparison of transesophageal echocardiography with other diagnostic modalities is needed in assessing its overall sensitivity and specificity.
authors.affiliation: Albert Einstein Medical Center, Department of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19141.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Podolsky
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manginas
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Kotler
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Ioli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D004947:Esophagus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D018805:Sepsis; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*