Cardio - Mechanisms of Disease - Cardiovascular Imaging; EKGs Flashcards
What imaging method acts as a preliminary test to evaluate the size of the heart’s chambers (cardiac silhouette) along with any pulmonary pathology resulting from heart disease?
Cardiac radiography
(NOTE: not useful in making diagnoses of histopathologic disease)
Cardiac radiography acts as a preliminary test to evaluate the _______ of the heart’s chambers (cardiac silhouette) along with any _______ pathology resulting from heart disease.
Cardiac radiography acts as a preliminary test to evaluate the size of the heart’s chambers (cardiac silhouette) along with any pulmonary pathology resulting from heart disease.
Cardiomegaly is defined as diameter of the heart at its widest point being what size?
> 50% of the cardiothoracic (CT) distance
If the pulmonary veins are engorged and visible in the upper part of the chest on CXR, this is called ___________ of vessels.
If the pulmonary veins are engorged and visible in the upper part of the chest on CXR, this is called cephalization of vessels.
Why is mitral stenosis associated with a bifid (‘notched’) P wave?
Subsequent left atrial enlargement leads to differential contraction between the left and right atria
How should the left atrium appear on CXR?
Concave
(a bulging left atrium indicates mitral stenosis or some other cause of left atrial enlargement)
True/False.
Stress testing is for screening like a CXR.
False.
Stress testing is not used for screening like a CXR (used for pts with suspected symptoms of coronary artery disease (CAD) to assess how different areas of the heart are being perfused. This is not a screening test because of its low specificity).
If a patient with S/Sy of coronary artery disease has an abnormal EKG, what should happen next?
Scintigraphy with radioisotope
If a patient with S/Sy of coronary artery disease has a normal EKG and can exercise, what should happen next?
The Bruce protocol treadmill test
If a patient with S/Sy of coronary artery disease has a normal EKG and cannot exercise, ability to tolerate what medication should be assessed?
Adenosine
If a patient with S/Sy of coronary artery disease has a normal EKG / cannot exercise / cannot tolerate adenosine, what should be done next?
A stress echo with dobutamine
(or PET scan)
What is a positive test stress result on EKG?
ST segment depression (1 mm) during exercise or in the recovery period
(reversibility on scintigraphic study)
What is a positive test stress result on scintigraphy?
Reversibility
What is a negative test stress result on scintigraphy?
NO reversibility
(the vessel that is not perfused during stress/exercise is still not perfused upon rest → indicative of an old infarction and thus a negative stress test result)
What imaging modality can evaluate the heart’s chamber size, wall thickness, wall motion, valves, pericardium, intracardiac tumors, thrombi, and vegetations?
Echocardiography
(using doppler ultrasound)
What are the two main viewing perspectives of echocardiography?
Transthoracic (TTE) or Transesophageal (TEE)
Which viewing perspective of echocardiography is more commonly used as it is less invasive?
Transthoracic
(as opposed to transesophageal)
What echocardiography method is useful in diagnosing cardiac valvular diseases?
Color-flow Doppler
A 28 year old man presents with a heart murmur that increases with Valsalva and decreases with squatting. S4 sound is noted at the apex, and he has some DOE (dyspnea on exertion) that’s worse during tennis. Family history is only positive for a cousin who died of sudden cardiac death of unkown cause at 34 years of age.
What is causing the murmur?
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
(due to a genetic disorder of sarcomere formation)
What is the characteristic finding in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
A heart murmur that increases with Valsalva and decreases with squatting
What histopathology is characteristic of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
Myofibril disarray
What causes the murmur in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
Narrowing of the outflow tract –> increased turbulence
Is the murmur of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy diastolic or systolic?
Systolic
Where are 75% of myxomas found?
The left atrium
(attached to the interatrial septum)
True/False.
Mitral stenosis is associated with fluid in the alveolar space.
True.