Two-dimensional echocardiography in the detection of noneffusive cardiac involvement by intrathoracic neoplasms

Two-dimensional echocardiographic (2DE) findings in four patients with predominantly noneffusive manifestations of intrathoracic neoplasms are presented. In cases Nos. 1 and 2 tumor masses were identified in the left atrioventricular groove area at a time when the left-heart border was obscured by a large pleural effusion on chest x-ray examination. Case No. 3 demonstrated distortion of right ventricular anatomy by a compressing extrinsic mass lesion. In these three cases the neoplasm itself or the complicating pleural effusion provided additional echocardiographic windows for visualizing the heart. Case No. 4 demonstrated dilation of the main pulmonary artery secondary to tumor compression of the left pulmonary artery with regression of the dilation following resection. The relative applicability of 2DE and M-mode techniques and their clinical relevance in tumor patients are delineated.