The heart is frequently the site of metastasis of various malignant tumors. Lung cancer is one of the most common primary tumors of cardiac metastasis and usually involves the pericardium or epicardium by direct invasion and/or lymphatic spread. However, metastasis of lung cancer involving the left ventricular endocardium is extremely rare. We report a patient with adenocarcinoma of lung, metastasized to the left ventricular myocardium and endocardium, diagnosed by echocardiography and 18-fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography.
Adenocarcinoma ; Echocardiography ; Electrons ; Endocardium ; Heart ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Myocardium ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pericardium

We report a case of a distal seeding of invasive thymoma at descending abdominal aortic wall. It is relatively common that direct extension of invasive thymoma into the adjacent great arteries and veins. But distal seeding of invasive thymoma is extremely rare. We found abnormal mass at abdominal aortic wall incidentally during routine transthoracic echocardiography. Operation of aortic segment replacement and mass removal was carried out. Histological evaluation of mass found invasive thymoma.
Aorta ; Arteries ; Echocardiography ; Thymoma* ; Veins

No abstract available.
Mitral Valve

Echocardiography is one of the most frequently used techniques for diagnosing cardiovascular diseases. Over the last twenty years, technological advances have enabled the application of high-quality imaging. Important recent developments have occurred in echocardiography that are already being used clinically. Equipment and hardware is now available to produce real time three-dimensional and contrast enhanced imaging.. Tissue Doppler and stress echocardiography have provided potential benefit to analyze hemodynamic information of heart. This review discusses each of these new developments and their potential impact on the practice of echocardiography and cardiology in general.
Cardiology ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Stress ; Heart ; Hemodynamics ; Nuclear Medicine*

BACKGROUND: Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibition has emerged as a potential therapeutic strategy for the left ventricular dilatation that occurs after myocardial infarction. This study is designed to evaluate which treatment is better for attenuating the left ventricular remodeling via MMP inhibition 1) during the early, short highly MMP producing period of the initial phase or 2) during most of the period of the initial phase after myocardial infarction. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Myocardial infarction was induced by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery in rabbits. The experimental group was divided into 3 groups. The myocardial infarction only (MI only) group consisted of 7 cases. The MMP inhibitor administered for 5 days after MI (MMPI 5d) group had 6 cases, and these rabbits were given MMP inhibitor for 5 days after myocardial infarction, beginning with the postoperative first day. MMP inhibitor administered for 9 days (MMPI 9d) group consisted of 5 cases and these rabbits were given MMPI for 9 days the same manner as above. CG2300 was used as a selective MMPI; this is a potent MMP-2 and -9 inhibitor. Two-D echocardiograms were performed on all the groups at the time of preoperative period, the postoperative 1st week, the postoperative 2d week and the postoperative 3d week, and we measured the end-diastolic dimension (EDD), the end-systolic dimension (ESD), and the ejection fraction (EF). RESULT: The echocardiograms generally showed postoperative left ventricular dilatation in the MI only group. The EDD was increased significantly higher in the postoperative 1 week compared to the preoperative value (p<0.05). The ESD was also increased significantly higher in the postoperative 1st week, the postoperative 2d week and the postoperative 3d week compared to the preoperative value (p<0.05). Left ventricular dilatation was noted to be less In the MMPI 9d group than in the MI only and MMPI 5d groups. In the MMPI 9d group, there was no significant change of EF postoperatively compared to the preoperative period. MMP-2 and MMP-9 were measured from the infarcted myocardial tissue at post-MI 4 weeks by performing western blotting and zymography. The changes the of protein expression and activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were not significant in the three MI groups and the normal heart group. Histopathologic examination revealed severe collagen deposition in the MI only group. Collagen accumulation was reduced in both the MMPI groups. The MMPI 9d group revealed an increased number of capillaries. CONCLUSION: Left ventricular dilatation developed rapidly after, MI from ligation of the coronary artery and MMPI attenuated the ventricular dilatation. The effect of MMPI seemed to have better a result from its usage during most of the period of the initial phase after myocardial infarction. This suggested that increased neovascularization by MMPI may also contribute to attenuation of the left ventricular remodeling.
Blotting, Western ; Capillaries ; Collagen ; Coronary Vessels ; Dilatation ; Heart ; Ligation ; MMPI ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Preoperative Period ; Rabbits ; Ventricular Remodeling*

Mid-ventricular obstruction (MVO) rarely occurs in patients without hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Increased cardiac contractility may play an important role in causing MVO. We experienced a case of severe chest pain and MVO in a 50-year-old female patient. She had hypertension, diabetes, stroke and peripheral artery disease. Her blood pressure was very high (222/122 mmHg) with severe fluctuation. The transthoracic echocardiography revealed MVO accompanied by hyper-dynamic left ventricular systolic function. We regarded her chest pain and MVO as secondary findings related to other diseases. Coronary angiography and several tests for uncontrolled hypertension were performed, and those evaluations revealed that she had coronary artery disease and hyperthyroidism. We considered that the increase in the myocardial oxygen demand in response to the increase in cardiac contractility and workload associated with hyperthyroidism aggravated her symptoms and MVO. She was treated with methimazole and beta blockers and her symptoms dramatically improved.
Blood Pressure ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; Chest Pain* ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hyperthyroidism* ; Methimazole ; Middle Aged ; Oxygen ; Peripheral Arterial Disease ; Stroke ; Thorax* ; Ventricular Function

No abstract available.
Aortic Valve ; Bicuspid ; Humans

Mid-ventricular obstruction (MVO) rarely occurs in patients without hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Increased cardiac contractility may play an important role in causing MVO. We experienced a case of severe chest pain and MVO in a 50-year-old female patient. She had hypertension, diabetes, stroke and peripheral artery disease. Her blood pressure was very high (222/122 mmHg) with severe fluctuation. The transthoracic echocardiography revealed MVO accompanied by hyper-dynamic left ventricular systolic function. We regarded her chest pain and MVO as secondary findings related to other diseases. Coronary angiography and several tests for uncontrolled hypertension were performed, and those evaluations revealed that she had coronary artery disease and hyperthyroidism. We considered that the increase in the myocardial oxygen demand in response to the increase in cardiac contractility and workload associated with hyperthyroidism aggravated her symptoms and MVO. She was treated with methimazole and beta blockers and her symptoms dramatically improved.
Blood Pressure ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hyperthyroidism ; Methimazole ; Middle Aged ; Oxygen ; Peripheral Arterial Disease ; Stroke ; Thorax ; Ventricular Function