title: Diagnosis of intrathoracic masses by transesophageal color Doppler echocardiography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the value of transesophageal color Doppler echocardiography in the diagnosis of intrathoracic masses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with intrathoracic masses were examined by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), including 12 patients with central lung masses and 8 with mediastinal masses. The neoplasms were explored by two-dimensional realtime ultrasonography, Doppler color flow imaging (DCFI) and pulsed Doppler (PD). The results were compared with computed tomography (CT), operative and pathological examination findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We were able to identify the size, structure (solid or cystic), anatomic relationship, metastatic lymph nodes and venous carcinoembolus of the masses. Furthermore, the hemodynamic data in the vasculature inside the masses were detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As a new method, TEE with Doppler technique is not only valuable in differentiating malignant and benign neoplasms but also useful for preoperative evaluation of the mass resectability in patients with intrathoracic neoplasms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhong Shan Hospital, Shanghai Medical University, China.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged