Pseudo-intracardiac air in a heart-lung transplant patient.
Air in the heart is a serious condition and may be life-threatening. It is usually of iatrogenic origin or the result of trauma. Computed tomography of a heart-lung transplant recipient who had unilateral hydropneumothorax revealed a mediastinal gas collection that appeared to be intracardiac. A follow-up study with intrapleural contrast medium revealed that the gas was not within but was actually between cardiac chambers. Consequently the gas collection mimicking intracardiac air was of no clinical importance.
Aafedt
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BC
Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinics, Minneapolis 55455.
Halvorsen
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Bolman
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D000328:Adult; D004618:Embolism, Air / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D016041:Heart-Lung Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed