The 60/60 sign in 2D transthoracic echocardiography (TTE)-a combination of pulmonary acceleration time (PAT) less than 60 milliseconds and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) jet gradient of less than 60 mmHg-has been found to be specific for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE). Materials and methods An observational prospective analysis was carried out on cases of suspected PE presenting to the emergency room (ER). TTE was performed on all cases with suspected PE prior to computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA). Emphasis was placed on measurement of PAT and early systolic notching (ESN) on the pulsed wave (PW) Doppler of the pulmonary valve, TR jet gradient, right ventricle systolic excursion velocity (RV S') by tissue doppler imaging (TDI), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), and right ventricle to left ventricle end-diastolic dimension ratio (RV:LV EDD) in modified parasternal short-axis view. These signs were taken as screening tests and compared to CTPA as the standard test. Patients were followed up until hospital discharge or death. Observations Fifty-six cases of suspected PE were enrolled for the study. Of these, 24 cases of PE were confirmed by CTPA. Out of 24 cases of PE, 15 were high-risk PE, six were intermediate high-risk PE, and three were intermediate low-risk PE. The mean age was 53.07±9.79 years with a male-to-female ratio of 1.95:1. The 60/60 sign was present in 70.83% of cases of PE. RV:LV EDD in a modified short-axis view of more than 0.9 was present in 91.67% of cases of PE, and ESN on the PW Doppler of the pulmonary valve was present in 75% of cases of PE. The 60/60 sign, RV:LV EDD ratio more than 0.9, and ESN showed sensitivities of 70.83%, 91.67%, 75%, and specificities of 93.75%, 75%, and 100%, respectively for PE. For prediction of mortality, presence of the 60/60 sign (Odds Ratio=8.13, p-value=0.034) and ESN (Odds Ratio=17.50, p-value=0.02) were statistically significant. Conclusions 60/60 sign and ESN are specific for the diagnosis of PE but have poor sensitivity.

An unroofed coronary sinus is an uncommon congenital cardiac anomaly. It leads to a left to right shunt like an atrial septal defect (ASD) and comprises <1% of all ASDs. It can also additionally create a pathway for paradoxical embolization to the brain and other attendant complications. Here, we present the case of an asymptomatic 40-year-old-male with a history of prior surgical closure of an ostium secundum ASD who was referred for preoperative evaluation for non-cardiac surgery. An unroofed coronary sinus with persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) was suspected on transthoracic echocardiography and confirmed by transesophageal echocardiography.

Tricuspid atresia (TA) is a rare cyanotic congenital heart disease. A persistent left superior vena cava (LSVC) may be associated with TA. The presence of LSVC raises important considerations for eventual repair, in that it may lead to persistent arterial desaturation even after corrective surgery, if associated with an unroofed coronary sinus. Here, we present the case of a 4-month-old child who was diagnosed with TA type 1B, LSVC and a dilated coronary sinus by transthoracic echocardiography.

Central venous port catheters (CVPCs) are commonly employed for long-term chemotherapy. One of the rare complications associated with CVPCs is catheter fracture and further embolization of the fragmented segment into the heart. The most common site of embolization is the superior vena cava-right atrium (RA) junction. However, infrequently, the catheter may embolize further distally into the right ventricle (RV) and beyond making the fragmented tips difficult to access directly with a snare. Here, we report a case wherein both the catheter tips were lodged in the RV cavity forming a loop in the RA. This necessitated the use of a modified technique to retrieve the fragment percutaneously.

Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a large-vessel chronic inflammatory vasculitis that leads to thrombotic vascular occlusion. This can lead to varied presentations including limb claudication, ischemic stroke, hypertension, and heart failure. Although contrast computed tomography angiography is the main modality for imaging of the aorta and its branches, transthoracic echocardiography can be an easy-to-access, point-of-care, initial screening tool for evaluating the aorta and other cardiac structures. We present echocardiographic images from two cases that demonstrate the important cardiac structural and vascular afflictions of TA.