Progressive dyspnea and signs of right heart dysfunction. Issue 1 (10th January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Staubach, Stephan; Strohm, Henning; Mudra, Harald
• Is Part Of: Echocardiography. Volume 34:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 119
• Page End: 121
• Publication Date: 2017-01-10
• Subjects: congenital heart disease -- echocardiography -- left‐to‐right shunt -- right heart dysfunction -- sinus venosus defect -- volume overload; Echocardiography -- Periodicals; Echocardiography -- Periodicals; 616.1207543
• DOI: 10.1111/echo.13415
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0742-2822

Abstract

Abstract : A 40‐year‐old woman was admitted due to dyspnea and fever. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed signs of right heart volume overload and vegetations on the tricuspid valve with insufficiency. Transesophageal echocardiography showed a sinus venosus defect (SVD) with significant left‐to‐right shunt. Computed tomography scanning was primarily performed to rule out pulmonary embolism; however, it showed interatrial communication. Due to the concomitant tricuspid insufficiency with additional volume overload, the diagnosis of SVD was more challenging. Usually, transthoracic echocardiography remains the initial diagnostic imaging modality; however, detection rates are very low. Therefore, further imaging is mandatory in unexplained substantial right heart dilatation.