title: Impairment of echocardiographic acoustic window caused by breast implants.
abstract: Cosmetic breast implants are increasing in popularity. The presence of a breast implant overlying the anterior mediastinal space as a cause of impairment of the echocardiographic acoustic window has not been described previously. Here, we report three cases with significant impairment of echocardiographic acoustic window caused by breast implants. Clinicians should be aware of this interference and women should be informed of this dilemma before considering this cosmetic surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Section of Cardiology, University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center and the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, 1501 North Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA. rmovahed@email.arizona.edu
authors.forename: Mohammad-Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Movahed
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D018427:Breast Implants; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging