Right atrial thrombus leading to pulmonary embolism.
Cross sectional and M mode echocardiography detected a large right atrial mass in a 70 year old man five days after admission. Three weeks later he developed acute respiratory failure due to a pulmonary embolism. Necropsy showed that the atrial mass was a thrombus. Thus echocardiography should be performed in patients with pulmonary emboli to examine the right cardiac cavities. The need for emergency surgery could then be assessed.
D000368:Aged; D004452:Echocardiography; D006325:Heart Atria; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000209:etiology*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000150:complications*