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Patent Foramen Ovale Not So Patent
Author(s) -
LópezHaldón José,
LópezPardo Francisco,
RodríguezPuras María J.,
MartínezMartínez Ángel
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
echocardiography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1540-8175
pISSN - 0742-2822
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8175.2008.00800.x
Subject(s) - patent foramen ovale , medicine , valsalva maneuver , contrast (vision) , cardiology , microbubbles , radiology , ultrasound , blood pressure , artificial intelligence , migraine , computer science
Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) with agitated saline contrast is the most sensitive tool for diagnosing patent foramen ovale (PFO), but false positives can result. We report a patient who underwent a TEE during the study of a cryptogenic stroke. Contrast appeared in the left atrium with the Valsalva maneuver. However, the contrast exit site was not identified, and contrast continued to appear with Valsalva once the saline microbubbles had disappeared. Combined with the contrast characteristics, this suggested a spontaneous contrast phenomenon rather than a PFO. This phenomenon must be kept in mind to avoid overdiagnosing PFO .