Simultaneous onset of acute myocardial infarction, bicuspid aortic stenosis, and cardiac transthyretin amyloidosis-A clinically complex confluence.

The coexistence of bicuspid aortic valve disease and coronary artery disease is well-established, but the identification of cardiac amyloidosis in this population has surged with advancing imaging techniques, introducing complexities in patient management. This case report emphasizes the pivotal role of multimodality imaging in accurately diagnosing three concurrent pathologies.

Collection of cardiac masses. Up-to-date echocardiography and cardiac MRI tools.

Heart masses, including tumors (primary and secondary) and pseudotumor (cysts and thrombus), are rare entities, but of increasing interest in cardiac imaging areas. The clinical manifestations are related to the intracardiac effect of mass, embolization, and systemic symptoms in the case of tumors; however, some of them are detected incidentally. Nowadays, imaging techniques and the advancement of their tools perform the morphological, functional, and tissue characterization of the masses, and additionally know the anatomical relationships, which are crucial factors for the treatment and surgical planning.

Role of echocardiography in the management of ventricular septal rupture after acute myocardial infarction.

Ventricular septal rupture (VSR) is a rare and devastating complication of acute myocardial infarction. Early detection, assessment of the hemodynamic impact, and illustration of the pathophysiological context are crucial functions of echocardiography in decision-making for intensive management and reparative intervention. To evaluate this entity, echocardiography exhibits two strengths: its bedside nature and its multiple modalities. This document reviews the comprehensive use of echocardiography in the study of post-infarction VSR.

Complex aortic plaques: hidden danger in aortic stenosis. Role of transesophageal echocardiography.

Aortic stenosis is associated with aortic plaques in up to 85% of cases because they share risk factors and pathogenic pathways. Intrinsically, complex aortic plaques carry a high risk of stroke, which has also been demonstrated in the context of aortic stenosis, especially in patients who underwent percutaneous or surgical replacement. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is the imaging test of choice to detect plaques in the thoracic aorta and classify them as complex plaques. Furthermore, the 3D modality allows us to better specify its dimensions and anatomical characteristics, such as added thrombi or the presence of ulcers inside. This review aims to evaluate the use of TEE to detect complex aortic plaques in patients with an indication for percutaneous or surgical aortic valve replacement. To highlight the association between aortic stenosis and complex aortic plaques, we attached to the review some TEE studies from our experience.

La estenosis aórtica se asocia con placas aórticas hasta en un 85% de los casos, porque comparten factores de riesgo y vías patogénicas. Intrínsecamente, las placas aórticas complejas conllevan un alto riesgo de accidente cerebrovascular, lo que también se ha demostrado en el contexto de estenosis aórtica, especialmente en pacientes sometidos a reemplazo percutáneo o quirúrgico. La ecocardiografía transesofágica (ETE) es la prueba de imagen de elección para detectar placas en la aorta torácica y clasificarlas como placas complejas. Además, la modalidad 3D nos permite precisar mejor sus dimensiones y características anatómicas como trombos añadidos o la presencia de úlceras en su interior. Esta revisión tiene como objetivo evaluar el uso de ETE para detectar placas aórticas complejas en pacientes con indicación de reemplazo valvular aórtico percutáneo o quirúrgico. Para resaltar la asociación de estenosis aórtica y placas aórticas complejas adjuntamos a la revisión algunos estudios de ETE de nuestra experiencia.