Diaphragmatic hernia mimicking an atrial mass: a two-dimensional echocardiographic pitfall.
Two-dimensional echocardiography has become the diagnostic method of choice for identifying intracardiac masses. However, adjacent extracardiac structures may closely mimic intracardiac masses on the two-dimensional echocardiogram. Five cases of a previously unrecognized phenomenon in which a diaphragmatic hernia mimicked an intraatrial mass are reported. Techniques to identify a diaphragmatic hernia properly on two-dimensional echocardiographic examination and distinguish it from intracardiac masses are discussed.
D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents; D006325:Heart Atria; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006548:Hernia, Diaphragmatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged