title: Characterization of blood-filled cyst by contrast echocardiography and computed tomography.
abstract: Contrast echocardiography has been demonstrated useful for left ventricular opacification and improvement of endocardial border delineation. Another important clinical application of this technique refers to the better characterization of cardiac tumors and masses. We here described an asymptomatic patient with cystic mass attached to submitral valve apparatus in which contrast echocardiography was performed after intravenous injection of lipid-encapsulated microbubbles. It resulted in enhancement of the cystic borders and allowed for better definition of its diagnosis. Multislice computed tomography confirmed the echocardiographic findings. This case illustrates the potential of contrast echocardiography to improve the anatomic evaluation of cardiac masses.
authors.affiliation: Heart Institute (InCor)-University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil. jeane.tsutsui@incor.usp.br
authors.forename: Jeane Mike
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tsutsui
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pommerantzeff
authors.forename: Ibrahim M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Rochitte
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mathias
mesh_terms: D001769:Blood; D003560:Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014056:Tomography, X-Ray