Abnormal color flow signal traversing the myocardial wall: Not everything is what it appears to be

Abstract

A case of a patient presenting with an acute myocardial infarction is presented. A transthoracic echocardiographic examination revealed an abnormal color flow signal that traversed the myocardial wall from a large inferior aneurysm and initially considered to be a ventricular septal defect. However, further echocardiographic manipulation utilizing modified views along with sequential injections of both agitated saline and Definity® proved very useful to identify a pseudoaneurysm. There was no further need for any other diagnostic test, and the patient was treated surgically, undergoing successful repair of the pseudoaneurysm as well as coronary artery bypass grafting of the left coronary artery.

Keywords

• Contrast agents
• echocardiography
• myocardial infarction
• pseudoaneurysm