Superior vena cava and right atrial thrombus detected on lung perfusion scintigraphy.
Ventilation and perfusion scanning is still used as the first modality for evaluating pulmonary embolism in pregnant and renal failure patients and those who are allergic to radiographic contrast. Hot spots in the right atrial area on perfusion scan are the result of the presence of thrombi. These thrombi are of 2 varieties. One type is a free-floating thrombus, which needs emergency thrombectomy, and another type is thrombus formation in the atria, predisposed by the presence of catheters. We report a study showing essentially normal perfusion but intense tracer uptake in the superior vena cava and right atrium. Noncontrast computed tomography confirmed the thrombus.
Rodriguez
Juan
J
Department of Radiology, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, Shreveport, Louisiana, LA 71130, USA.
Heldmann
Maureen
M
Sittig
Kevin M
KM
Modi
Kalgi
K
Reddy
Madhusudhan P
MP
D003328:Coronary Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013479:Superior Vena Cava Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*