Massive main pulmonary artery embolism diagnosed with two‐dimensional doppler echocardiography

Abstract

Summary: This report describes the usefulness of echocardiography in the differential diagnosis of acute cardiovascular events. In a 66-year-old patient with known aortic stenosis and mitral valve prothesis, who suddenly deteriorated with severe dyspnea, a thrombus within the pulmonary artery could be detected with 2-D echo. Pulsedwave Doppler disclosed the resulting flow-velocity disturbances.

The Diagnostic Approach to Acute Venous Thromboembolism

“…Unfortunately, the finding of right ventricular dysfunction is nonspecific and certain clinical conditions commonly confused with PE (such as acute COPD exacerbations) are also associated with abnormal right ventricular function. Visualization of large emboli within the main pulmonary artery has been reported with surface echocardiography, but this appears to be unusual (211). While most echocardiographic studies have focused on global measures of right ventricular dysfunction, such as qualitative hypokinesia or chamber dilation, there is some evidence that regional right ventricular dysfunction (akinesia of the mid-free wall with apical sparing) may be more common in acute PE.…”

Two-for-One Saddles: A Case of Mobile Double Pulmonary Embolism

“…There have been a few reports of saddle embolus shown on TTE, but double saddle emboli with a mobile component has yet to be reported. 4 , 5 , 6 Here we present a case of two distinct saddle emboli, one of which is highly mobile, found at the main pulmonary artery (MPA) by TTE.…”