Key result
Transthoracic echocardiography detected extra-cardiac lesions with a diagnostic coincidence rate of 77.55%, which was significantly lower than the 93.88% rate achieved by computed tomography (p=0.012).
Why the study?
Sonographers mostly focus on myocardial, cardiac cavity, and hemodynamic abnormalities, leaving abnormal extra-cardiac lesions frequently unrecognized.
Does transthoracic echocardiography accurately detect extra-cardiac lesions compared to computed tomography in patients with extra-cardiac masses?
Observational (n=49)
No
Does transthoracic echocardiography accurately detect extra-cardiac lesions compared to computed tomography in patients with extra-cardiac masses?
Although TTE has a lower diagnostic coincidence rate than CT (77.55% vs 93.88%), it provides useful diagnostic value for incidentally detecting extra-cardiac lesions.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
TTE may miss extra-cardiac lesions more often than CT; this case report leaves open its utility for incidental detection.
Objective: Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is generally recognized as the top choice for detecting myocardial and cardiac cavity lesions. Sonographers mostly focus on myocardial, cardiac cavity and cardiac hemodynamics, whereas the abnormal extra-cardiac lesions are always unrecognized. The aim of this study was to investigate the ultrasonic image features in abnormal extra-cardiac lesions and the value of TTE in the detection of extra-cardiac lesions.Methods: 49 cases of abnormal extra-cardiac lesion detected by TTE from January 2014 to December 2019 were collected, which were confirmed by pathology. The two-dimensional ultrasonic characteristics and the relationships with the cardiac and great vessels were summarized on the basis of multi-view by TTE. All patients were also performed by computed tomography (CT). Results: In 49 patients with abnormal extra-cardiac lesions, 37 malignant cases and 12 benign cases were included. There were 41 cases (41/49,86.67%) of mediastinal lesions and 8 cases (8/49,16.33% ) of lung lesions. The maximum diameter ranged from 3.2cm to 13.66cm, and the median diameter was about 7.4cm, among which 29 cases (29/49,59.18%) were larger than 5cm. 4 cases (4/49, 4.08%) of cystic anechoic lesions were pericardial cyst. 2 cases (2/49, 4.08%) of cystic-solid echogenic lesions were teratoma. The remaining 45 cases (45/49, 91.84%) presented as solid hypoechoic or heterogeneous masses. 6 cases compressed the heart and 21 cases encroached on the heart and vessels. Diagnosis coincidence rates of TTE and CT were respectively 77.55% and 93.88%, with a statistical difference (p =0.012).Conclusion: Although the diagnostic coincidence rate of TTE is slightly lower than that of CT, TTE has certain diagnostic value for extra-cardiac lesions.
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Yan et al. (2021) conducted an observational in Abnormal extra-cardiac lesions (n=49). Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) vs. Computed tomography (CT) was evaluated on Diagnostic coincidence rate (p=0.012). Transthoracic echocardiography detected extra-cardiac lesions with a diagnostic coincidence rate of 77.55%, which was significantly lower than the 93.88% rate achieved by computed tomography (p=0.012).