OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of dilution of paramagnetic contrast agent with iodinated contrast and xylocaine on the signal intensity during magnetic resonance arthrography, and to improve the paramagnetic contrast agent concentration utilized in this imaging modality. MATERIALS AND METHODS Samples specially prepared for the study with three different concentrations of paramagnetic co...

A 57 year-old male patient was admitted to our echocardiography laboratory to rule out thrombus in left atrium before electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation. Transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) demonstrated in the bicaval view, the right atrial appendage measured 10 x 5 cm, area: 42 cm(2), volume: 229 mL (Figure, left). A quick injection of 15 cc of echo-contrast fluid (shaken sali...

Tissue Doppler imaging was used with transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography to determine its clinical usefulness beyond visualization of ventricular wall motion. Thirteen novel applications were found: acoustically difficult transthoracic studies, thrombus, mitral chordal motion, shunt detection using saline contrast, spontaneous echo contrast, intra-aortic balloon pump position and...

BACKGROUND Primary intracardiac tumours are rare, there are however several entities that can mimic tumours. Contrast echocardiography has been suggested to aid the differentiation of various suspected masses. We present a case where transthoracic echocardiography completely misdiagnosed a left atrial mass, partly due to use of echo contrast. CASE PRESENTATION An 80 year-old woman was referre...

tricular dimensions, with special reference to paradoxical pulse. Circulation 52: 460, 1975 3. Vignola PA, Pohost GM, Curfman GD, Myers GS: Correlation of echocardiographic and clinical findings in patients with pericardial effusion. Am J Cardiol 37: 701, 1976 4. Adolph RJ, Frommer JC: A transducer for recording the instantaneous respiratory waveforms in animals and man. J Appl Physiol 21: 737,...

To assess superior vena caval (SVC) obstruction after the Mustard operation for transposition of the great arteries, we performed two-dimensional contrast echocardiography (2-D contrast echo) in 18 patients, ages 1-9 years. Sterile saline was injected into a peripheral scalp or arm vein while the junction of the inferior vena cava (IVC) and the systemic venous atrium (SVA) was imaged from the s...